


You're cute when you concentrate

by Cherrypie62666



Series: Random unfitting one shots and stories [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: AU, Angst, Angst and Fluff, College AU, Depression, Flirting, Flirty Nico, M/M, Nerd Will, Oblivious Will, Punk Nico, Studying, Tutoring, solangelo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-09-12 21:13:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 30,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9091048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherrypie62666/pseuds/Cherrypie62666
Summary: Will is trying to enjoy his studies, but a handsome stranger from his class decides to join him for a little tutoring session.





	1. Meeting up Will pov

**Author's Note:**

> Saph requested this one, so I set it the only place I could think of, college.  
> Sorry if it's terrible, I don't preplan, just write.

The library was his favorite place. Firstly, it was quiet, though not the kind of quiet that left you wanting sound. No, quiet like the soft pattering of rain on your rooftop at nighttime, or the chirping of crickets in the distance. The kind of quiet people tried to recreate with music, but never quite came close to accomplishing. All around him people were scratching away at their homework, flipping through text books, or reading just for the hell of it. Small sounds that kept him smiling contentedly as he read through his history text, absorbing the information with interest and ease.

  
Secondly, he liked the solidarity. No one he knew ever came into the library, so he could slip away and be alone without ever feeling lonely. The only people who ever entered the library were there to actually learn something, so no one dared bother you if you kept your head down and stayed quiet. Pushing his glasses up further onto his face, he turned the page, letting out a happy hum. Little did he know, trouble was heading his way, disguised with the name Nico di Angelo.

  
A clearing of the throat caught his attention and he glanced up into the too dark eyes of the strange boy from one of his courses, Nick or something like that. His shaggy, dark hair fell around his head in a messy sort of style, fringe hanging low, almost touching his eyes. A hoop pierced each side of his full, pouty lips, with one more in his right nostril and a stud in his left. His rich, olive skin was smooth and creamy, making him look exotic and dark. A smile curled those lips, revealing beautiful, straight, white teeth. Looping his fingers through his belt loops, he cocked a hip and tilted his head.

  
“Hey,” he murmured, velvety voice thick and rich, the hints of an accent warping his speech. At that moment, Will realized he’d never heard him speak, even briefly.

  
“Uh, hello,” he mumbled, setting his book marker into his page and closing the text gently.

  
“I was informed you could be of… assistance, should I need it.” Will glanced around nervously, unsure if this was some kind of prank. Cute, scary boys never spoke with him. Hell, cute boys in general, unless you counted his friend Cecil, which, you know, he really didn’t. Cecil was more mischievous and goofy cute, this boy was break your heart and maybe also your face while I’m at it, drop dead sex god kind of good looking. Far, far out of the league of geeky, likes to actually study in his free time, never had a real kiss in his 19 year of life (unless you count spin the bottle and Stephanie Jesper’s soggy, gag-worthy mouth attack in seventh grade, which, he didn’t) Will Solace. He narrowed his eyes skeptically.

  
“I don’t know what you’re looking for, dude, but I’m far from your guy.” The other laughed, a sweet, melodious sound that made his ears turn pink he blushed that hard. Pulling out the chair opposite him, he sat down, propping his chin on his laced fingers, and smirking lazily in response.

  
“Mr. C was the one who informed me, I’m failing History and he’s… quite convinced I’m not the lost cause I seem to be. He said you were my guy should I wish to bring my grade up, Sunshine, so here I am, asking for a tutor. Will you help me out? With sugar on top, even.” Long, dark lashes swept the tops of his cheeks as he dropped his gaze, then glanced back up, biting his lip ring and tugging it into his mouth. Will’s mind fogged and he forgot how to form sentences.

  
“Uh. Do you even know my name?” The boy cocked an eyebrow.

  
“Do you know mine?” He purred in response.

  
“Isn’t it something like Nick?”

  
“Nico. And you're Will. I’m clearly more observant than you are, Solace.” Will blushed again, surprised Nico knew his first and last name. He forced himself not to look too much into it, Mr. C probably said his name and pointed him out, he doubted the other actually noticed him before he was needed. No one noticed him unless they needed something.

  
“I’m not really the tutoring type, sorry.” Nico shrugged off his studded leather jacket, stretching his arms lazily above his head. His black teeshirt depicted a skeletal looking dude, holding a Molotov Cocktail with the words ‘Leftover Crack’ and bats flying above it. Will assumed it was a band, or it was some weird joke he didn’t get.

  
“That’s okay, I’m a quick learner. Just help me go over the material, I’m sure you’ll do wonderfully.” When Will only frowned in response, Nico grinned. “Did I mention that Mr. C said he’ll give you extra credit worth fifty points if you do this? I don’t even need to receive a better grade, you just have to give a few hours of your life. It’s a win win for you.”

  
“Alright, what part do you want to study more?”

  
“Considering I haven’t even looked at the book yet, let’s go with… all of it.” Will groaned and opened the whopping four hundred paged textbook to the very first page, deciding to forgo the introduction. No one read that. Ever. Nico chuckled and pulled his chair over until they were inches apart. He could feel the heat radiating off of Nico in dizzying waves, making him feel light headed. For looking so unkempt, he sure smelled nice, like apples and mint and something else. Wet Earth, perhaps.

  
“Okay, so in Mesopotamia, the creation myth is that after merging of sweet and salt waters, one a male deity, one female, all of the gods and monsters were created. Then, when she tried to rule over everything, a god by the name of Marduk stepped up and fought his mother, Tiamat, and upon ripping her in half, used her parts to create the heavens and the Earth. Because there was much work to do, he used blood to create humans as slaves to the other gods, doing their work for them, pretty much so they could kick back and just oversee everything. I’m paraphrasing, of course, we don’t have time to get into further detail. You can go back later and revise if you want.” Nico gave a short nod, leaning down to look at the little pictures scattered throughout the text. His warm breath tickled Will’s arm, causing him to forget his train of thought.

  
“Pretty smart deities, if you ask me. Get others to do everything for you, supreme rulers with human slaves.” Will pursed his lips.

  
“Yeah, well, not all ancient religions are that way. Some see the humans as lesser only by their mortality.” Black eyes bore into him, making him flush.

  
“Oh yeah, and what religions are those?”

  
“Uh, like the Greeks, for instance. They believed the gods were deities of various elements and whanot, but they never felt the need to toil away for them, or face punishment. The Grecian gods are more laid back, even sometimes helping mortals, though usually just messing things up for a couple of laughs. They’re not even the original creators, that was Gaea and Uranus, Earth and Heavens, who created the Titans, who then created the gods. It’s a long story, but we’ll get to it later.”

  
“You know your ancient religions,” Nico murmured, gently stroking his finger in small circles atop Will’s arm. He swallowed hard, turning the page with his other hand.

  
“Yeah, well, you would too, if you paid attention.”

  
“I get distracted easily. Especially by pretty things.”

  
“Ah, well,” he mumbled, sliding his glasses further up his nose, a nervous habit he’d had since he got the things. “That shouldn’t be an issue, then, there aren’t really any girls here to distract you. Now, moving on, in Egypt, things started much the same way, with the creation of a giant, primordial…. Why are you staring at me like that?” Nico wasn’t even looking at the text, his head was rested casually on his fist, other arm slung over the back of his chair, grinning with half-hooded eyes. He arched a brow, humming with amusement.

  
“I don’t like girls, actually,” he breathed, soft and silky and quite seductive. Will’s mouth made an O shape, and he turned back to the text in front of him. There was absolutely no way the other meant he was a pretty distraction, he was probably just trying to make him even more uncomfortable.

  
“A primordial ocean, of sorts, in which a single entity arose, Amen, later Amen-Re, and created a divine daughter and son. He then cries and his tears became mankind. His son and daughter create the rest of the gods, while mankind take possession of the Earth, and he retires as the sun, kind of letting everything span out from there.”

  
“You get this cute little crease between your brows when you’re looking at the pages trying to remember what they say.”

  
“Are you listening to what I’m saying, or are you just trying to be annoying? Anyway, the Hebrew religion started off nomadic, though I’m sure you’re well aware of the creation myth they agree upon today. The development of monotheism into a single, higher deity actually took place over many, many years, their origins were much more laid back in the earliest days of their culture.”

  
He droned on and on, flipping randomly through the pages, trying to give only key facts that might aide the other in a better understanding of the history. His mouth felt dry and his voice cracked a few times, but Nico saved the day when he called for a bathroom break, and returned with a couple bottles of ice, cold water.

  
Occasionally the other would push his buttons, teasing him about the way he bit his lip when thinking, or stuck his tongue between the little gap in his upper and lower teeth whenever he read. When they did have meaningful conversations, he found himself laughing, even enjoying himself outright, forgetting their quiet setting, and earning cross looks from the nearby students. Slowly, time passed, until they found themselves some of the only people left in the area.

  
“Well, that brings us up to the crusades, which means we only have about nine hundred more years of history left to cover. What time is it anyway?” He patted his pants down, but couldn’t seem to find his cell phone. It was nothing new, he was constantly leaving it behind in his dorm room.

  
“Eight forty five in the evening, by my clock.” Nico murmured, checking the watch on his wrist. Will’s face dropped. They’d been in the library for at least five straight hours. He’d only meant to be gone for two at the most.

  
“Oh man, is that why I’m so starved right now? I didn’t even realize how late it’d gotten. I think we’re going to have to call it a night.” Lowering his glasses, he rubbed his eyelids in small circles with his fingers.

  
“I have food in my dorm if you want to come back and continue,” he leaned forward, dropping his voice and cocking a brow suggestively. “My roommate is away for the weekend, so we won’t be disturbed.” Will blinked, confused.

  
“Are you… are you being flirty, or am I just misunderstanding your tone?”

  
“Only for the last five or so hours, but I’m glad you caught on. Thought I might have to throw myself at you to get your attention.” Will opened and closed his mouth as a lazy smile pulled at the other’s lips.

  
“Me? Why?”

  
“I don’t think you realize how cute you are, Solace. I don’t even need tutored, I’m second in our class. I just wanted an excuse to talk to you. You run out of every class so fast I can never catch you before you disappear. Just happened upon you here and improvised.”

  
“You wasted five hours for material you already know?” He asked incredulously, and Nico chuckled.

  
“Well, you are first for a reason, can’t hurt to see what you know that I don’t. Plus its super endearing whenever you get excited about the content. I know the stuff, but you’re actually interested.” He rose from his seat, giving another lazy stretch. “Seriously, though, if you’re uncomfortable with being alone, at least come grab something to eat with me.” Will wanted to be mad, but anyone that would sit through five hours of him rambling must really want to talk. He didn't even care there wouldn't be extra credit, because he'd had a good time. Pushing out his chair, he stood up, noting that he was an inch or two taller.

  
“What if I don’t swing that way?” Nico grinned up at him, cocking his head to the side.

  
“Do you?”

  
“Well, yeah, I do. But what if I didn’t feel the same about you?”

  
“I’m pretty persuasive when I want to be. I might just have had to convince you of how wrong you are.”

  
“Mexican or Greek?” Nico pulled on his jacket, reaching his hand out and lacing their fingers together. They fit better than he'd expected, the other's hand soft and gentle.

  
“Surprise me,” he murmured, and Will pulled him away.


	2. Meeting up Nico pov

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's the flip side, a little Nico pining from afar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some people have asked me to write more. This is me writing more, but also switching up the POV because I want to explore Nico being the forward one and finding Will super endearing.
> 
> Sorry if that's not what was wanted, it's just to give a little backstory to Nico.

Nico sat down in the lecture hall, idly drumming his fingers upon the desk. It was the first day of the new semester, and his third course at the end of a long, full day of introductions and syllabus breakdowns, followed by mountains of homework. Why anyone gave homework on the first day, he couldn’t guess, but he’d be hitting the books pretty hard from now until break. A sigh escaped his lips. Hopefully his history class wasn’t more of a pain.

The other students filed in, grabbing up the remainder of seats. He managed to grab the one in the far back corner, which also happened to be the furthest from the door. It didn’t matter, he preferred to be secluded, able to hide in the shadows and slip under the radar. It wasn’t that he was a terrible student, on the contrary, he got mostly 4.0s with the occasional 3.5, averaging himself up to a 3.8 GPA. He just didn’t like public speaking or being called upon to answer silly questions just to appease the professor’s sick sense of superiority. Even if you were right, you were somehow only half right.

The man in question walked briskly into the room, just as the second hand called the hour and the beginning of class. He was wearing a tweed jacket, the elbow patches worn from use, and a nice pair of dark slacks. His long, dark hair curled in soft waves around his shoulders, streaked with grey; his beard, close cut and full, peppered with signs of his age. Warm, brown eyes regarded them, sweeping the room before returning to his briefcase. He set it on the desk, popped the latch, and pulled out a thick stack of papers, handing them off to the person closest to him in the front row.

“My name is Mr. Chirovsky, but you may call me Mr. C. For the next fifteen weeks I hope to take you on a journey, back in time, to the very beginning, when all around Europe little bubbles of civilization were popping up around the greater Mediterranean region, also known as the cradle of civilization. Can anyone tell me the very first civilization we will be discussing in this class and why?”

A hand shot up and he rolled his eyes. There was usually one in every classroom, though sometimes, there were more. The overachiever, needs to have all the answers, always trying to be the best, suck up. Nobody else dared to answer, so the professor picked the only person he could. Nico’s eyes drifted to the boy sitting closest to the door, all the way on the bottom left. He slid his glasses up his nose absentmindedly, a nervous smile curling his lips. All Nico could think was gods he’s beautiful, even if he is a giant dork.

“Yes, Mr.?”

“Solace. Will.”

Nico’s mind spaced out, lulled into a stupor by the sound of Will’s husky voice. It was a good thing he was far in the back, because staring so blatantly from anywhere else in the room would have been quite embarrassing. The two discussed something back and forth, earning a laugh from the entire room. All he saw, all he noticed, even as Mr. C told them to begin taking notes, was Will. By the end of the class, his paper was mostly blank, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

“Before you leave, I’m going to pass around this seating chart. I’d like for you to discern your current seat and place your name next to the given line. This will remain your seat for the remainder of the semester. I know it is not commonly done, but I would like to have some sort of grasp on your names. I admit, I am old and cannot recall things easily after so many years and so many students. After you are finished, you may go. My office hours, once again, are on the syllabus, so please keep it safe. No excuses.” He collected the extra papers and set them inside his briefcase.

Will was the first one to sign, and the first to leave. Nico watched him go, clicking his tongue ring across his back teeth. Of course it was his luck he’d sit exactly opposite the cute guy, only to be stuck there watching after him for the rest of the semester. It was perhaps the first time he regretted his reclusive nature. By the time he finally received the page, he was the last student in the room.

“Ah, thank you, Mr…”

“di Angelo,” he mumbled, handing the paper back to the man. He was huge, at least six foot three and stocky in build, making the shorter, wiry boy feel like a child.

  
Mr. C smiled, straight white teeth sparkling brightly. “Well, that’s a name I’ll remember easily, and your accent, are you from Italy, then?” Up close, his face was quite handsome, for an old dude.

“Yeah, born in Venice. Though I don’t remember much, I moved here when I was about nine or ten and it’s kind of fuzzy.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot, playing idly with the pins on his bag.

“You speak so fluently, I'd have guessed a lot younger.”

Nico shrugged, chewing on his lip stud from the inside. “My mother spoke both English and Italian and taught me it from the get go. I’m fluent in each, though my native tongue is still Italian. Old habits die hard.”

Mr. C nodded, placing the seating chart into his briefcase and closing the lid. Picking it up he gestured out of the room, and the two began walking. “Well, then I hope you enjoy our lecture on Ancient Rome. Perhaps my favorite part, the Roman Empire, it’s one of the reasons I decided to teach the subject. Fascinating, along with the Grecian period, I could teach an entire class on just those.” He smiled, closing the classroom door behind them. “Well, Mr di Angelo, until next time.”

Nico watched him go, whistling to himself as he strolled down the empty hall. Looking at his watch, he decided it was probably time to head back to his dorm room and crack open his Psychology book. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

  
No matter how early he showed up to class, Will was never there until the last minute. He’d stare at the door longingly until the blonde would burst in, dropping into the seat, face red and breathing hard. His glasses were normally askew, and he’d lower them often to rub small circles into his eyelids. Then he’d open up his book, flip to a random page, and get lost in the words, even as Mr. C began his lecture. Nico made a point to listen and jot down the key issues, but every so often, his eyes would wander back, and he’d grin to himself, adoring the way the other frowned and chewed his lip as his blue eyes scanned the page.

As hard as it was to catch him before the class, it was harder to catch him after. The moment the professor would dismiss them, Will would spring to his feet and race off out the door to someplace new. Even if the room wasn’t filled with bodies leisurely rising and collecting their things all around him, Nico would never catch the boy in time to say hello. He wasn’t even sure what he would say; hi, I’m Nico, did you know you’re super adorable and I can’t help staring at you 85% of our class time? That would go over real well. Heaving a sigh, he’d file out of the classroom, hopeful his luck would change.

It happened on a Saturday, of all days, while he was passing through the library toward the end of the term. His psychology professor had wanted a research paper done with sources cited from actual books, instead of surfing the web for answers. Begrudgingly he’d wasted a perfectly good lounge day and wandered through the stacks of books, pulling random ones out and jotting down the information. When he was completely satisfied with the amount of information gathered, he went to leave, before stopping dead in his tracks.

Sitting at a table, glasses slipping precariously down his nose, was Will Solace. A gentle smile curled his full lips, and as Nico approached, he heard him emit the tiniest of sighs before turning the page. Eyes shot across the page, faster than he even thought possible. He stared at the boy for some time, watching him read and absorb, before he mustered up his courage and decided to break the ice.

He cleared his throat, watching the other blink in confusion and glance his way. Freckles speckled Will’s nose and cheeks, barely visible over his golden hue. Blue eyes narrowed slightly with mistrust, so Nico looped his fingers through his belt loops, cocked a hip, and tilted his head. “Hey,” he murmured, enjoying the light flush that covered Will’s face as he gave him a once over.

“Uh, hello,” he mumbled back, picking up a bookmark and gingerly placing it inside the book. His fingers traced the cover eyes flicking nervously around the room.

Not knowing what to say, Nico panicked, trying to devise a plan to get to know the other a little better. Will looked like he wanted to leave, race away like he always did, and Nico was not letting him disappear again. “I was informed you could be of… assistance, should I need it.”

Will glanced around again, looking a little perplexed, before narrowing his eyes once more. “I don’t know what you’re looking for, dude, but I’m far from your guy.”

Nico laughed, pulling out the chair opposite Will and sitting down. The boy’s face was so flushed from the action, he couldn’t help but inch closer, curious to how he might respond. Lacing his fingers beneath his chin, he smirked, lowering his voice ever so slightly. “Mr. C was the one who informed me, I’m failing History and he’s… quite convinced I’m not the lost cause I seem to be. He said you were my guy should I wish to bring my grade up, Sunshine, so here I am, asking for a tutor. Will you help me out? With sugar on top, even.” He dropped his gaze shyly, then brought it back up slowly, biting his lip ring and tugging it into his mouth.

Will’s face was unreadable, though he blushed heavily before looking away. “Uh. Do you even know my name?” He asked, looking back at Nico, eyes hopeful.

Nico cocked a brow, leaning even closer as a small smile tugged his lips. “Do you know mine,” he purred and Will flushed again.

“Isn’t it something like Nick?”

His flush was probably due to embarrassment, but Nico smiled regardless, surprised Will even got the general sound right. “Nico. And you’re Will. I’m clearly more observant than you are, Solace.”

He leaned back, regarding the other curiously. Will was still blushing, possibly even more now that Nico had gotten his name right, which either meant the boy was terribly shy and didn’t converse well, or Nico was making him feel that way specifically. Since he seemed to always answer all of the questions in their class, and actually looked as if he wanted to talk about stuff, Nico went with the latter. Another smile curled his lips at the prospect. Perhaps Will thought he was cute. He decided to flirt a little and see.

* * *

  
It took hours, little touches and hints dropped here and there. He even started out fully admitting he didn’t like girls, which should have been the biggest indication that he was flirting, but Will was either really dense, or really unaware that someone would want to flirt with him. Finally, after very pointedly inviting the other over to his private, empty dorm room, Will frowned, blinking rapidly.

“Are you… are you being flirty, or am I just misunderstanding your tone?” His face reddened again, and Nico resisted the urge to kiss him right then and there. Didn’t he realize how beautiful he was?

“Only for the last five or so hours, but I’m glad you caught on. Thought I might have to throw myself at you to get your attention.”

Will opened and closed his mouth, frowning, narrowing his eyes, then glancing around the room once more, like he couldn’t quite understand. “Me?” He asked incredulously. “Why?”

“I don’t think you realize how cute you are, Solace,” he said slowly, enjoying when Will blushed again. Deciding the truth would probably come back to bite him if he didn’t say something now, he went for it. “I don’t even need tutored, I’m second in our class. I just wanted an excuse to talk to you. You run out of every class so fast I can never catch you before you disappear. Just happened upon you here and improvised.”

Will looked surprised, then curious, then skeptical. “You wasted five hours for material you already know?”

Nico chuckled. It was kind of crazy, even if the guy was gorgeous. “Well, you are first for a reason, can’t hurt to see what you know that I don’t.” He smiled, leaning a little closer. “Plus it’s super endearing whenever you get excited about the content. I know the stuff, but you’re actually interested.” Rising from his seat, he stretched, feeling his back pop. “Seriously, though, if you’re uncomfortable being alone, at least come grab something to eat with me.”

  
Pushing out his chair, he rose to his full height, an inch or so taller than Nico. A smile was tugging at his own mouth, and Nico swallowed hard. “What if I don’t swing that way?” He breathed, heat rolling off of him in intoxicating waves.

Nico grinned and cocked his head to the side, causing Will to blush again. If the boy didn’t stop being so adorable, he was going to jump him. Pretty sure of the answer, he asked the question anyway. “Do you?”

“Well, yeah, I do,” Will mumbled, looking at his feet. “But what if I didn’t feel the same about you?” His blue eyes bore into him, challenging Nico to prove him wrong.

“I’m pretty persuasive when I want to be,” he murmured, cocking an eyebrow and biting his lip. “I might just have had to convince you of how wrong you are.”

Will grinned, sliding his glasses further up his nose. “Mexican or Greek?”

Pulling on his jacket, he grabbed Will’s hand, lacing their fingers. When the other didn’t flinch or pull away, he smiled, heart doing a little victory flip. “Surprise me,” he murmured.

Will chuckled, crinkling his nose and shaking his head, before leading him away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will go forward. If there are requests for a specific scene, setting, thing, just ask, I'm mostly going based off you lovelies and your request for more college AU or more Punk and Nerd stuff.


	3. A case of nerves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bear with me while I flail blindly figuring out something decent.

Once he got five feet out the door, he realized he didn’t have a clue what he was doing. He’d never flirted, never kissed anyone, and he sure as Hades didn’t know how to impress someone like Nico di freaking Angelo. Dropping Nico’s hand, he nervously shoved his own into his jacket pockets, blushing furiously for ever thinking he could be so… brazen. Nico’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t say anything, just kept up their pace, jingling slightly as they went.

He made it outside of the building and paused, looking around to gain his bearings. It was dark, he’d forgotten how late it was. It was also kind of chilly, though that was to be expected at the end of November. If he was honest, he really should be studying, it was almost finals and he didn’t want his grades to suffer. Chewing his lip, he shot a nervous glance Nico’s direction.

Nico must have read his mind, titling his head and smiling that stupid, flirty smile. “Lose your nerve,” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Will sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “No, and also yes. I should be studying for finals week, I have a mountain of homework, and it’s already night. I am starving, but I’m kind of pulled different directions here.”

Nico hummed, bobbing his head. “Tell you what, the offer still stands, we can go back to my dorm and you won’t be disturbed. I can cook, pretty good at it, actually, and you can get to revisions. Unless, of course, your dorm is a little more comfortable for you, though, I doubt you’d spend your time in the library if your room was easy to study in.” When Will gaped at him, he smiled. “Psychology major, I’m good at reading people and figuring out what makes them tick. Just put two and two together, I’m guessing your roommate makes it hard to focus.”

Will grimaced, thinking about Cecil and how he couldn’t sit quiet and study if his life depended on it. Nodding stiffly, he sighed. “And you’ll really let me study? I mean, I know you practically helped me revise for history, kind of more in depth than was necessary, but I don’t really know you, you look like someone that doesn’t know the meaning of the word quiet.”

Nico laughed, throwing his head back slightly. “I have a 3.8 GPA if that helps anything, and I take really hard classes, even. None of that easy A bullshit. I promise, I’ll let you study at least half the time.” He smiled wickedly and winked.

Will pursed his lips before nodding. “Alright, you cook, I’ll go over the worst of my work, and I’ll allow half an hour, every hour you let me work in peace, to chat. Those are the terms, take it or leave it.”

Nico hummed again, the sound so low it was almost a growl. “You’re pretty hot when you’re all studious, you know that.”

Will frowned, completely caught off guard. “How is being a stickler for perfection even the tiniest bit attractive? Wouldn’t that be the opposite of an attractive quality?”

Nico grinned, drawing his arm up in a shrug before letting it fall back down. “On you, it works. You have this whole bookworm vibe and I just can’t help myself.” Will blushed furiously and Nico laughed. “You’re quite intriguing, and I want to get to know you, what makes you tick and all that.”

Will shuffled nervously, not sure how to respond to someone calling him hot. No one thought he was hot. Not in appearance, definitely not in personality, and he was fine with that. Fine with flitting through life reading and absorbing and hiding in the background as much as possible. Being front and center made him far too nervous, and he felt himself start to panic. “Uh,” he drew the word out as his eyes looked for the best escape route.

Nico noticed the action and grabbed Will’s hand, gently rubbing his thumbs in slow circles on Will’s wrist, pressing kind of hard. “Hey, relax. I’m not as scary as I look, I promise. We’ve been talking just fine for hours, I just want to keep it up. The second you don’t feel comfortable around me, you can run off, I won’t stop you. Just… give me a chance.” His smile was sincere, even a little vulnerable, and Will felt his tension ease.

“What are you doing,” he asked, indicting Nico’s hands. It felt relaxing and brought a smile to his lips.

Nico shrugged, stopping the motion but keeping hold of the hand. “It’s a pressure point and it helps with anxiety. I assume you have some, you sure look panicked all of the time. There’s also a good one here,” he grabbed the webbing between Will’s thumb and index finger and pressed hard. “It’s more for headaches, but it helps with tension, too.”

Will smiled again. “Any other spots, I sure can use all the help I can get.”

Nico reached up and pulled on Will’s earlobe, making his eyes flutter closed and a groan escape his lips. He proceeded to gently massage it between his fingers. “This one would have made you freak out even more, but you can do it to yourself whenever you like. Both ears works best.”

Will nodded, humming happily. “Okay, you win, I’ll go with you. Just lead the way.”

* * *

Nico’s apartment was small, but clean, with a kitchen, dining room, living room area, and two separate bedrooms. Will sat down at a small table and opened up his computer science book, flipping back and forth between the pages and double checking his notes. He had a different notebook for each class, color coded and tabbed by chapter or section. When he was finished with that, he opened up his bioethics book and went through the full content, even reviewing the parts they still hadn’t discussed yet. It might be jumping the gun slightly, but Will was nothing if not prepared.

True to his word, Nico didn’t make a peep, the only sounds coming from the clinking of pans or the bubbling of something on the stove. A tantalizing scent wafted around Will, making his stomach growl. When it got too hard to focus, he left the table and wandered over to watch Nico sauté onions and garlic in olive oil, before throwing in chunked up sausage and browning it in the pan. “What are you making,” he asked timidly, not wanting to be a pest.

Nico glanced up and smiled, shrugging as he flipped the chunks of meat. “Spaghetti con salsiccia e pomodoro,” he said, voice husky.

Will flushed heavily, swallowing hard. “Uh, in English, please.”

Nico frowned at him, blinking a few times. “Oh, shit, sorry about that. I do that sometimes, slipping into Italian and not noticing it. It’s spaghetti with sausage and a pomodoro sauce, which is kind of like your typical marinara sauce. Not much different. You do like pasta, correct?”

Will nodded. “I like all food, more or less. And I’ll try anything at least once.”

Nico beamed at him. “Good, cause as an Italian I love food, and cooking food. My mamma taught my sister and I lots of recipes before she died, and I made a point to perfect the art of cooking over the years after.”

“How long has it been,” he asked, not wanting to intrude on the memory, but wanting to learn more about Nico.

Nico’s smile turned a little sad. “Nine years, and six since my sister passed. I was ten and thirteen.”

Will gasped, covering his mouth with his hand. “I’m so sorry,” he breathed, feeling suddenly terrible.

Nico shook his head. “It was a long time ago, and I still have my dad and a half sister. I try not to let it get me down, death is natural, everyone dies. I want to be a grief counselor for young children, that’s what I’m getting my degree for. Help kids like myself work through their rough times, hoping they won’t have to struggle alone like I did for a while.” He smiled, turning on a pot of water so it could boil. “Food will be ready soon, are you all done studying?”

Without thinking about it, Will wrapped his arms around Nico in an awkward hug. He felt Nico's body vibrate as he laughed, returning the hug before Will pulled back. “Sorry, that was impulsive. I’m never impulsive. You just made me so sad I figured you might need a hug.” Shuffling his feet, he chewed on his lip. “Can’t focus on studying, need food first.”

Nico smiled again, eyes crinkling in the corners. “Fair enough.” Returning his attention back to the pan, he dumped the mixture into a simmering pot of tomatoes and spices, mixing them up before turning the temperature down until it was almost off. When the water boiled, he dropped the pasta into it, sprinkling in a pinch of salt, before turning back to Will. “Do you like your noodles soft or al dente?”

Will shrugged. “However you like them is fine with me.”

* * *

Will ate so much food his stomach hurt, but it was so delicious he couldn’t help himself. If Nico cooked anything else half as well, he’d never leave. Afterward, he tried to return his attention back to studying, but Nico’s presence was a distraction in and of itself, and he couldn’t make his mind focus. His eyes would wander off the page, flicking over to watch the other leaning casually back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. After reading the same sentence fifteen different times, he sighed haughtily and slammed the book closed.

Nico glanced at him, raising an eyebrow questioningly. “Everything alright?”

Will huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “No, everything is not alright. Must you sit there being so distracting?”

Nico chuckled, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. “Sorry, what exactly am I doing, now?”

Will gestured to his entire person wildly. “That,” he muttered.

Nico smirked, tilting his head to the side. “But I’m not doing anything except existing,” he murmured.

Will rolled his eyes. “That’s exactly the point, your existence is a distraction. Knock it off.” He opened a different textbook, hopeful that this one would be a little more appealing, and flipped to a random page. Nico went back to sitting quietly, but it was still too hard to focus. Rubbing small circles into his eyelids, he groaned.

Nico cackled and drummed his fingers on the table. “Look, I’m not even making a sound, so if you can’t concentrate, that's on you. Maybe you just need a break, you have been at it for most of the day. All work and no play.”

Will pouted. “I never have this problem in the library. Maybe it’s just too quiet.” Nico smirked at him and he frowned. “Or you’re just distracting with your stupid face being in my line of sight.”

Nico gasped. “My face is quite lovely, I’ll have you know.”

“That’s the problem,” he grumbled, then flushed. Nico laughed, and he rose to his feet. “You’re right, I need a break. Everything is getting all jumbled up anyway. Isn’t it almost ten o'clock? I should probably get going, my roommate might wonder what happened to me. If he notices my absence at all.”

Nico got to his own feet. "It's ten on a Saturday. Do you have anything you need to wake up early for?” Will shook his head, and he smiled. “Then what’s the rush. Like I said, my roommate is gone all weekend. We could watch a movie, I’ve got a bunch. You can even pick one out.”

When Will hesitated, Nico looked down at his feet sadly, then back up, bottom lip protruding from his mouth. “Alright, fine. One movie, and then I’m leaving. No sad faces, it’ll only work once a day.”

Nico smirked. “Oh, is that so? I’ll keep that in mind for the next thing I want and you’re reluctant over.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down, making Will blush.

“I… you… I didn’t mean it like that,” he whined, and Nico grinned. “Just point me towards the movies already. If you don’t have anything good, I’m leaving,” he sniffed.

Nico hummed in amusement. “I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, though, anything you want to have happen, I'm still figuring things out, so help moving things along means I write more.
> 
> It's short because I'm tired, but I wanted to post something.


	4. Sudden panic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will switch back and forth a few times, but I figured that was better than writing one whole part than the other whole part.

Will

There was a terrible pain in his neck as he shifted around on the bed. No, that wasn’t right, he was sitting partially upright, so he must have fallen asleep at his desk again. The swivel chair he had wasn’t this warm or hard. The fabric under his fingers sure didn't feel like leather. And it definitely didn’t smell like… oh god.

Peeking an eye open, he took in his surroundings. He definitely didn’t have a flat screen in his room, let alone his house, and he’d never seen that painting before in his life. Or had he? Snippets of the previous night’s memories flitted through his mind, and he shot up off the couch so fast his vision went black. Swaying on his feet, warm arms braced around him from behind.

“Woah, relax, you’re just at my place still.”

Warm breath tickled his shoulder as Nico spoke, causing his eyes to slide shut and his body to lean back into the other. That was before the panic overtook his brain, body going rigid. “Ah, yeah, would you look at the time. I really should be getting back to my dorm, my roommate is probably worried sick.” Wiggling out of Nico’s grasp, he raced over to the kitchen table to retrieve his belongings.

Nico came up beside him, chewing on his lip nervously. Their eyes locked, and Nico’s searched his. “I’m sorry, Will. I promise we only fell asleep while watching the movie. Nothing else. It’s four thirty in the morning, if you want you can take my bed and I can sleep in Hazel’s room-“

Will frowned, pausing his collection of items momentarily. “Who?”

“Oh, my sister. She’s my roommate. Like I said, she’s gone until later today so-“

Will smiled tightly, shoving the last of his textbooks into his bag. “No, that’s alright. I really should get back. Cecil will definitely worry that I haven’t come home by this point. Thank you for… ah, everything. I’ll see you later.”

Nico nodded stiffly. “Alright, see you later, Will.”

He raced out the door as fast as he could. Four o clock in the morning was definitely colder than he thought it would be. Pulling his jacket tighter around his frame, he half jogged down the street toward the on campus dorms. They were smaller than the off campus ones, but cheaper and had the convenience of location. With so many classes throughout the week, living a mile closer really made a difference.

His mind wandered over the events of the previous night. Against his better judgement, he trusted a stranger he'd only just been introduced to, under false pretenses no less, and went to his apartment, alone.  If that didn't have regret written all over it, he didn't know what did.  Sure, Nico was sweet, and cute, and funny, a good cook, had those deep, dark, soulful eyes, pouty lips, olive skin.  He shook his head, snapping his mind out of its foolish daydream. It wasn't the time for feelings, he needed to crack down and focus on studying, not boys.

By the time he made it to his room, the cold morning air and fifteen minute walk perked him up better than a cup of coffee. With a sigh, he threw down his bag, fell into his chair, and pulled out a textbook to finish his revisions. Cecil wouldn’t be awake until closer to noon, so if he started this instant, and studied fast, he could put the next seven hours to better use than sleep would allot. Sure, he might be a zombie for the rest of the day, but it wasn’t like he had anywhere to be on a Sunday.

* * *

 Nico

Nico felt the warmth pressed nicely against his body begin to shift. His eyes fluttered open, brain slowly clicking the events leading up to now into place. All of the lights were still dimmed, so it wasn’t quite morning, but the television had turned itself off, so it was at least an hour after the movie. He’d fallen asleep at some point, though it was hard to place exactly when. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he noted the late hour.

Will was curled up in the crook of his arm, head on his chest, with one arm lazily wrapped around Nico’s waist. Good to know, the boy was a cuddler. No sooner had he made the observation, Will was up on his feet, swaying precariously. Nico shot up after him, steadying the other from behind. “Woah, relax, you’re just at my place still,” he murmured, hopeful his voice sounded reassuring.

Will’s body slumped back against his, the tension leaving him for a moment, before he straightened once more. “Ah, yeah, would you look at the time. I really should be getting back to my dorm, my roommate is probably worried sick.” He struggled against Nico’s grip until he let go, then raced off to the table to collect his belongings.

Nico wandered over, stomach clenching with nerves. He hadn’t meant to do anything to freak Will out. Chewing on his lip, their eyes locked, and he searched Will’s face for any hint things were okay. “I’m sorry, Will. I promise we only fell asleep while watching the movie. Nothing else. It’s four thirty in the morning, if you want you can take my bed and I can sleep in Hazel’s room-“

Will frowned at him, cutting him off. “Who,” he asked, confused, pausing briefly before setting his textbook into his bag.

Nico realized he’d never disclosed his living situation to the other, and felt mildly embarrassed. “Oh, my sister. She’s my roommate. Like I said, she’s gone until later today, so-“

Will cut him off again, lips turning up at the corners in a forced, tight looking smile. “No, that’s alright. I really should get back. Cecil will definitely worry that I haven’t come home by this point. Thank you for… ah, everything. I’ll see you later.” He pulled his bag over his shoulder and glanced at the door.

Nodding, Nico attempted to return the smile, though it probably looked more like a grimace. “Alright, see you later, Will.” He knew the chances were slim, but he said it like it was possible, as if somehow uttering that would make it true.

No sooner had he said the words, the boy was off, out the door like his life depended on it. Running both hands through his hair roughly, he yanked at the roots hard enough to make himself wince. It would take a miracle to recover after that blunder, and he cursed himself for not letting the guy leave when he’d tried to.

Dropping his hands back to his sides, he sighed heavily, shuffling off to his room, completely defeated. Who was he to kid, Will wasn’t comfortable around him no matter what he did. His crush on the other was never going to amount to anything, he’d just have to face facts and let it go. Falling onto his mattress, he grabbed blindly for the blanket, tugging it up and over his head. Perhaps sleep would be kinder to him than life was at the moment.

* * *

Will

Will closed his final textbook, tugging down his glasses to rub small circles into his eyelids. The clock on his nightstand said it was twelve thirty, if he hopped into the shower now, he could probably grab lunch with Cecil before the other raced off with Lou Ellen for the rest of the evening. A nice, warm soak was the perfect ending to this awkward day, and after he ate, he could catch a few extra hours of sleep for tomorrow's classes.

Rising from his chair, he stretched, feeling his back pop in a very satisfying manner. He hadn’t gotten up one time the entire study session, his limbs were sore, and his bottom felt numb, but it had been quite the productive last couple of hours, so the discomfort was well worth it. He might even call it a win, though, the circumstances that found him in said situation detracted heavily from the positive aspects.

It never occurred to him beforehand to wake extra early on a Sunday, to accomplish the things he normally sought out the quiet of the library for. He had to admit, it was definitely preferable being in his own home. Perhaps it wasn’t all bad, wasting a good portion of his evening with another, setting time aside to relax a little. He didn’t want to make it into a regular thing, but the fact that he was back on, or even ahead of, schedule was definitely nice.

The water was warm on his skin, head lolling to the side as it beat out the stiffness tightening up his back. He was exhausted, that was for sure, but no more than usual after a long night revising and doing homework. His brain, however, was definitely sharper after his little nap, so there were benefits to sleeping some before completing his work. If only the sleeping had been done by himself, in his own bed, he might feel a little less embarrassed about everything.

When he was finished and dressed, he tapped a light rhythm on Cecil’s door, unsure if the other was decent enough for him to barge in unannounced. A low groan from somewhere deep inside the room told him his roommate was still in bed, and he’d learned the hard way that the boy slept in the nude more often than not. “Cecil, it’s almost one in the afternoon, it’s time to wake up and start the day.”

There was a clattering like something was knocked to the floor, followed by grunts. The door swung open a minute later, revealing the brunette, still shirtless, rubbing a hand down his face. “Where were you yesterday, we waited for you to get back for like an hour. You left your phone charging in your room, so we just went out. What time did you even get in?”

Will shuffled his feet around. “Uh, like four. I fell asleep at a friend’s house on accident.”

Cecil’s eyes widened before he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Oh, a friend, was it?” He nudged at Will’s side with his elbow, digging the thing between a couple of ribs. “So who is this friend you speak of?”

“Ow, Cecil, cut it out. Yes, just a friend, and just an accidental pass out on the couch. He’s no one you know, and no one you will know because I don’t plan on hanging out much in the future.” Will batted Cecil's arm away, frowning.

Cecil sighed, rubbing a hand through his messy hair. “Should have known, you’ll never be interested in anyone, it doesn’t fit into your little idea of college normality. I feel bad for the guy, if he likes you, nothing will ever come of it.”

Will scoffed. “My love life isn’t up for discussion. Get dressed, and let’s go get some food. I’m sure Lou has already blown up your phone asking what’s taking you so long.” He walked away, pursing his lips and balling his hands. Cecil was no doubt going to blab to Lou Ellen, and then he’d have the two of them on his case for who knows how long. With a sigh, he plopped down on the couch, waiting for Cecil to be ready.

* * *

Nico 

A warm hand brushed the side of Nico’s face, rousing him from his dream. Opening one eye, he stared up into his sister's golden gaze, her lips pulled upward in a slight smile. Rubbing at his eyes, he tried to force his mind to focus. “What time is it,” he mumbled, voice thick and scratchy.

“Around four in the evening, have you been in bed all day, or was this a nap?” Her tone was light, carefree even, but as he looked back into her eyes, he saw the hints of fear clouding them.

“Yeah, I guess I passed out pretty hard.” A yawn cut him off from stating more, so he stretched his limbs, then sat up in bed. “Don’t worry, it’s not a bought of depression. I must have just really needed the rest. You know I don’t sleep very well when you’re away.”

She hummed in amusement, patting his arm softly. “You sleep just fine, don’t try to make me feel bad for your own poor decision making skills. How late did you stay up this time?”

He shrugged, glancing up at the ceiling as he did the math in his head. “Honestly, I think I passed out the first time around eleven thirty, but then I got woken up at four in the morning, and didn’t get back to sleep for a little while.” His eyes locked on hers, noting the skeptical look that crossed her face. “I had a friend over and we fell asleep watching a movie. He woke up at four and left, so I came to bed and you just now woke me. How is Frank, anyway?”

She cocked an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. “Frank is fine. Who is this friend of yours?” Her gaze turned steely, making him squirm uncomfortably before swallowing hard.

“Uh, the boy from my History class.” When her expression softened, going as far as to look hopeful, he put his hands up and tried his best to smile. “Before you get any ideas, it didn’t go so well. I think I just come on too strong for other people to handle. I probably won’t see him again aside from classes, which thankfully will be ending in a few weeks, so I can stop torturing myself.”

A sigh escaped her lips, and she pulled him into a crushing hug. "Want to talk about it?”

Pulling from her grasp, he shook his head and smiled, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. “That’s okay, there’s not much to tell. No harm done.”

She didn’t look convinced, but nodded her head anyway. “Alright. Want to order Thai and watch a movie, then?”

"Definitely. You call it in, I’ll pick the movie. I’m feeling thriller drama, preferably with a twist at the end.”

Her laugh washed over him in calming waves, fighting back the darkness that had begun to take hold of his insides. With a deep, cleansing breath, he climbed out of bed, slipping on his favorite comfy shoes, and shuffling back out to the couch. His eyes wandered over the areas Will had inhabited only hours before, a slight ache forming in his chest. At least he’d tried, that was what mattered. With a sigh, he plopped down on the couch, waiting for Hazel to be ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of side by side comparison of what the other was thinking/feeling/doing on the same day.


	5. Feeling defeated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico hopes Will isn't avoiding him. Will doesn't have a clue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terrible! I should have updated this sooner. Perhaps I'll write another chapter soon to make up for my failure to keep things to a weekly basis.  
> This is once again both POV, just to show both sides.

Nico

Monday came and Will still hadn’t contacted him. It wasn’t that he was necessarily expecting the guy to, but somewhere, deep down, he couldn’t help the growing sense of disappointment he felt as each hour dissolved into the next. By the end of his last class, he took a chance and wandered the familiar path down to the library. It was still pretty early, and Will hadn’t exactly disclosed his entire schedule, but he knew from their brief chatter that the guy usually spent a few hours a day within its walls, working on assignments in a quieter setting. All he had to do was wait.

The tables were mostly empty, but he still circled the whole area, just in case Will was browsing the shelves or typing away on the computers. For a Monday, it was actually pretty dead, not that he knew how lively it normally was. Saturday had been pretty packed, so he assumed an actual weekday would find even more students within those four walls, but it seemed as if the opposite might be true. How sad, people really should make better use of their time.

He took the exact table they’d sat at before, cracking open a book to pass the time. After every three or four pages, he’d glance up, search the area, and upon finding the place sans Will, resume reading. When he got all of the way through one novel, and a third of the way through another, he called it a night. Perhaps Will had already finished up his assignments the previous day, or maybe he had been there before Nico even entered, and that's why he never showed up. It didn’t seem likely, but he held onto the hope, stuffing the books back into his messenger bag and vacating the seat. The walk back to his apartment seemed to take twice as long as normal, not that he really cared much.

His sister caught the look on his face before he even had time to disguise it. She was up, off the couch, pulling him into a warm embrace before his mind could process the actions. Not that his brain was in usual working order. If it was, he would have prepared himself for the onslaught, masking his emotions like he knew was necessary. What was it about some random boy he barely knew that threw all of his years of self preservation and emotional composure out the window in a matter of weeks? Honestly, he couldn't quite put his finger on the reasoning for feeling so desperately melancholy and lethargic for the last few days, but it was definitely something he’d never experienced before.

“This calls for some pho. Or pizza, I can’t exactly tell which, but definitely comfort food,” she mumbled, pulling back and smiling up at him. Warm, liquid gold swam with barely veiled emotions, but the one that he could definitely discern was an abundance of sibling love.

Nico pulled a smile onto his face, chastising himself for being so careless around the girl. It was only a few years ago she'd found him at his darkest place, and the amount of undue stress and worry he’d put her through had taken its toll. She panicked at the first sight of him slipping back toward that place, so he knew better than to behave like a wounded animal, no matter the reasoning. Somehow, he needed to pull himself together.

“Hazel, please. I’m alright, I promise. It was just a long day, that’s all. I should have listened to my own brain and quit while I was ahead, but now that I know where I stand, it’ll be easier to move forward. I don’t need you to worry about me.” He offered another weak smile, begging her to let the matter drop.

She frowned back at him, lip pouting outward quite childishly. “I’m going to worry about you no matter what you say. I’m your sister, it’s what we do. Now, do you want pizza, or do you want pho? I’ll settle for something else, so long as it’s not Indian. I’m really tired of Indian right now for some reason.”

“Why don’t I make something here instead,” he asked, pulling away to go raid the cupboards. Surely they had some kind of ingredients to whip up a decent meal. Opening the fridge, he found it empty of all save a few bottles of water, a lemon, their leftovers from last night, and a couple of condiments. Frowning, he then opened the pantry, and found little more than oatmeal and cereal, along with an old box of penne. “Uh, I can make lemon penne, or we can go to the store.”

She shook her phone wildly in his face, app pulled up to reveal all of the delivery places in their area. “Or, you can accept the inevitable and let me call something in. You know once we make it down to the store, get groceries, get back, put them away, and then start cooking, you’ll be past starved. We can go tomorrow after class. Now, pizza, pho, oh look, the Mediterranean place down the street just added delivery!” Fingers clicking away wildly, she typed up instructions then pressed the send button happily. “Too late, I’ve already ordered falafel sandwiches and some baklava to go. Extra tzatziki on the side, because you know they never put enough and we always say we need extra, but never get it.”

He grinned at her, pulling her into a bone crushing hug. She smelled like autumn foliage and lemon shampoo, which was somehow exactly the scent he needed to make him feel calm. “You’re a good sister,” he murmured, letting her go after a beat.

She beamed back at him, patting his arm affectionately. “I know, it’s part of the job description, taking care of wounded brothers.” Stuffing her phone back into her pocket, she winked.

Frowning, he crossed his arms over his chest. “Who said I was wounded? I said it was just a long day.”

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “I can tell what boy trouble looks like from a mile away. You can’t fool me. When we're done eating, you're going to tell me what's up, and we're going to figure out a solution.”

* * *

 

Will

Monday morning Will woke feeling fantastic. The long hours of sleep he’d received the night before really helped to boost his energy supply, something he was usually in desperate need of. Thanks to his strange early rise on Sunday morning, he’d gotten enough things completed that he had most of the week to just relax. Not that he would, there was always something to do, or some way to improve, but he saw no harm in taking one, measly little afternoon to just hang out. Tomorrow, business as usual.

He got out of his last class of the day with a spring in his step. The extra energy was actually better than a cup of coffee. Not that he still hadn’t sipped a nice, steamy cup that morning; it was just all the easier to push through the day without needing another four cups to get by. His feet wound the familiar path down to the library, prepared to slink inside and lose himself in the pages of some random novel. Just as he reached the large, wooden doors, he paused, remembering the promise he made to himself to try and relax a little more. With a sigh, he continued on past the sanctuary, back to the dorms.

When he stepped inside, Cecil glanced up at him curiously. Blue eyes wandered to the clock on the wall, narrowed slightly, then looked Will up and down from head to foot. Letting out a long, slow breath of air, he crossed his arms lazily over his chest. “Why are you back here before dark?” The words were accusatory, but his tone held barely concealed amusement.

“I’ve finished my work for most of the week already, and I’m all caught up on revisions. I don’t need to do anything, so I thought I’d come home for once.” Taking off his bag, he set it on the hook on the wall and came to plop down next to the other on the couch.

Cecil narrowed his eyes again, humming skeptically. “Are you sure you’re not avoiding something?”

Will blinked a few times, completely perplexed. His mind ran through a couple of possible scenarios before he shrugged. “I actually don’t have a clue what you’re referring to. Not that I ever understand your logic, but you’ve managed to stump me.”

Cecil snorted loudly, shaking his head. “I find that hard to believe. We only talked about it just yesterday.” When Will shrugged again, he rolled his eyes. “That guy you stayed out half the night with? The one you said you weren’t going to be seeing again, even though that’s stupid to do when your only reason for not wanting to is he comes on too strong? Are you certain you aren’t here now so you can avoid running into him?”

Will laughed, patting Cecil on the shoulder gently. “Seriously, Cecil, I don’t know how you come up with these ideas. I’m not the kind of person to overthink something that far. If I happened to run into him and didn’t want to talk, I’d leave. I’m not going to avoid someone, I’m not a child.”

Slapping both of his thighs loudly, Cecil jumped up. “Alright, if you say so. I’ll call Lou, we should take advantage of your presence.” He started to walk toward his room, pausing briefly to grin back at the other. “Prepare yourself for the questions, you know Lou isn’t so easy to convince.”

Groaning loudly, Will covered his face with a pillow. “Why do I even bother to tell you two anything, ever?”

“Because you love us,” he singsonged, then strolled away laughing. 

* * *

The remainder of the week returned to normal; a fully packed schedule of classes, library, more classes, and more library. Leaving the dorm at eight in the morning and not getting back until eight in the evening was quite common, even when he wasn’t in the midst of finals and the slowly ending semester. By the time Thursday rolled around, he’d forgotten all about the crazy weekend he’d had, and the boy with black eyes and a dazzling smile.

Racing into the room, he plopped down into his seat, panting hard from running across the campus. Once again, he’d forgotten to set a timer on his phone, the same one that he’d left on his nightstand anyway, and lost himself in another chapter of a book. If it hadn’t been for the library aide, Mrs Jackson, he’d never have made it to class on time. She was kind enough to always point out the fact he was supposed to be somewhere else, having picked up on his panic the few occasions he’d overstayed his visit.

Opening up his notebook, he began jotting down the key points in Mr C’s lecture. The Cold War was already something he’d read and reread weeks ago, but the best answers always came directly from the professor’s mouth. The man had a knack for making the most dull subjects full of life and wonder. It didn’t hurt that he was sharp as tack and witty, to boot. His historical puns were almost always lost on half the class, but Will found himself chuckling quietly, and scribbling down the best ones on a separate sheet of paper. A good pun was always welcomed.

Halfway through the lecture, his eyes wandered away, across the room to the back corner. It hurt his neck a little to gaze that direction, but he couldn’t stop the sudden feeling that he was forgetting something. When his eyes locked onto the raven haired, tan skinned boy hurriedly taking notes, his breath caught. Nico didn’t seem to notice the blatant staring from the blond, his head was bent low and his eyes were glued to the page, almost like he was forcing himself not to look away. A frown creased Will’s brow, and he chewed his lip, sparing one final glance before returning to his work.

By the time class ended, he’d checked the other thirty seven more times, each one causing his mood to drop just a little further. Either the guy had a detector imbedded in his brain that warned when someone was about to notice him, or he really, really found the Cold War fascinating; because his hand continued writing, and his eyes continued to follow along the notebook page without straying. When Mr C dismissed them for the day, Will even tried his best to slowly put his things away, hoping to be noticed and maybe talked to. It was difficult to focus on the wooden desk in front of him, when all his eyes wanted to see was any indication that Nico noticed him there, even if it wasn't going to lead to a chat.

The sight of such a beautiful person passing him by like he was completely invisible shattered the remainder of his mood instantaneously. Shuffling out the door quietly, he hurried back to his room as quickly as he could without looking like he was fleeing the scene of some crime. His heart raced and his head felt funny, but he kept placing one foot in front of the other, until they guided him to the place he knew he could analyze everything without an audience. With a soft click of the door closing, he ripped off his bag and collapsed face first into his mattress, feeling oddly defeated.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what I get for having 4 things that are still updating. I focus on some and neglect the others.  
> I'm still open to any ideas for plot or storyline that anyone wishes to see.  
> Just let me know.
> 
> Also, any comments really inspire me to write more. Just saying.


	6. The best distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is studying hard for finals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Later than promised. I fail.  
> But shout out to darumasama for helping me push through my terrible case of writer's block to churn this one out for you. :D

Will opened his eyes against the harsh light streaming in through a break in his curtains. The world swam into focus little by little as his brain kicked into action, the hints of some strange dream still warping his senses. Something about being buried beneath a pile of literature for hours and slowly suffocating as the last bits of oxygen teased his lungs. Just his luck, he would have a nightmare that the one comfort in his life turned against him. Searching blindly for his glasses with his hand, he found them on the nightstand and shoved them on, glancing at the clock in the process. Seven forty two on a Saturday, which meant he’d gotten a total of five hours of sleep, if that. Perfect.

Throwing the tangle of sheets and blankets off his sticky person, he rolled off the bed unceremoniously, barely managing to catch himself before his limbs wobbled and dumped him onto the carpeted floor. A groan escaped his lips, and he wiggled about, clawing at the ground to attempt to drag himself toward the door. It wasn’t like his body was necessarily weary; other than the late nights and early mornings, he hadn’t really done much to warrant such a strange reaction. Perhaps the two weeks leading up to this moment had finally taken a toll, and his body refused to allow another second of abuse. A good, full breakfast would make everything better.

Scrambling to his feet, he shuffled out the door, stumbling a bit as he made his way down the narrow hallway to the kitchen. The rest of the apartment was dark and silent, a nice change of pace from the usual chaotic mess it was normally in. Cecil would remain dead to the world for another four hours at least, so he had ample time to continue with his rigorous studying in peace, all preparation for the following week, where he’d sit through five, grueling exams and hopefully pass all of his classes. Just seven more days of hellish torture, then he could finally sit and…

Opening the fridge, he sighed. Why would he ever expect Cecil to be responsible enough to go grocery shopping? When the pantry didn’t yield better results, he grabbed the bag of coffee and began loading the pot. The rumbling drip as the machine churned out the black liquid energy made his mind go fuzzy, lulling him into a strange half asleep state. His limbs drooped, head falling forward slightly as he fought the urge to curl up on the floor and forget about anything else for the next few hours. The strange gurgling sound was perhaps the only thing that saved him from actually obliging, and with a hard shake of the head, he pulled a cup from one of the hooks and filled it to the brim with bitter resolve.

The scalding, tangy liquid seemed to kickstart his senses immediately, and he leaned back against the counter, breathing in the scent and closing his eyes. Three weeks, that’s how long it had been since that day in the library. He hadn’t spoken a single word to the other since then. Not that he’d tried very hard to approach him, but that wasn’t to say he didn’t attempt to allow himself to be approached. Somehow, he figured Nico would be the one doing all of the pursuing, but ever since he’d walked out the front door, it didn’t seem like the guy even cared anymore.

The silence wasn’t the worst thing ever. It was what Will wanted, after all, he did claim as much to Cecil and Lou when they’d pressed him on the subject. Still, a strange twinge of sadness worked its way through his chest, tightening around his heart and squeezing terribly whenever he watched the other for any signs of recognition. If anything, Nico seemed to overlook his being, the way someone with zero ties to him might. It wouldn’t normally bother him, seeing as how he wasn’t very sociable anyway, but flat out disregard felt a lot like rejection. It was different, going from something back to nothing, being known and then invisible once more.

When he was all done with his coffee, he staggered back to his room and once again threw himself into his studies. Words blurred together, sentences jumbled up inside his brain. Not even the pinch of hunger raking its way through his stomach could pull him from the pages, eyes eating up the information that lay there, waiting to be absorbed.

It was true that he’d done this very thing numerous times before, but it never quite seemed like enough. If he was honest with himself, he’d admit it was partially a coping mechanism, the way he dealt with the odd sensations that were foreign and unwelcome. Forcing his brain to drink in the knowledge until the only thoughts that occupied him were of manageable substance. Logic was easier than emotion.

He didn’t even notice the other standing there until a hand clamped down on his shoulder, startling him from his work with a sudden gasp. Cecil’s blue eyes regarded him solemnly, brow creased in a strange semblance of friendly concern. Lips moved rapidly, but the only sound that came out was a strange, faraway ringing and the roar of blood that filled his ears. Blinking a few times, he lowered his glasses and rubbed small circles into his eyes.

“Sorry, what was that? My brain is still partially stuck in these books. I didn’t catch a single word,” he mumbled, righting the frames back onto his nose.

Cecil pursed his lips, brow drooping so low it was a little comical. “I said maybe you should take a break, you’ve been sitting here doing this for hours now. It can’t be very healthy to do nothing but study every spare second of the day. I mean, you’re always strange, and normally immerse yourself in books or whatever, but this is different. Scary kind of different.”

Letting out a slow breath of air, Will shrugged. “My classes are a little more intense than usual this semester, I just want to make sure I’m prepared for all of my finals, that’s all.”

Cecil snorted, eyes roaming over the chaotic mess on the desk before landing back on Will’s hesitant gaze. “I’m pretty sure you could recite these books, in order, verbatim at this point. There is little more you can do to prepare yourself, you’re already at the top of every class, and you’ve never failed a test in your life. Where is the sudden concern coming from, really?”

Will frowned, drawing his lip into his mouth and worrying it hard between his teeth. “I don’t really understand what it is you’re asking me. I’ve already told you my classes are a little more intense than normal, so I’m just being as thorough as possible. I’m always like this before finals.”

Cecil narrowed his eyes skeptically, humming so low it was practically a growl. “You know, this all started about three weeks ago, after you came back really late from that so called friend’s house.”

“I’m not even sure what you’re implying, and I’ve only really started cracking down on my studying in the past two weeks, so I don’t see a parallel betwixt the two things like you seem to,” he replied dryly, turning back to his book to avoid further eye contact. Cecil may be a slacker, but he was far from stupid. Lou Ellen was quite perceptive, and being around her for years had made Cecil almost as good at reading Will as the girl was. One tiny little hesitation, and he’d never find another moment’s peace.

“You were strange that first week, too. Maybe not in the same obsessive compulsive way you are right now, but there was definitely something off. You were… reluctant and distracted, and now you’re overly focus and neurotic. Are you going to keep pretending like everything is alright, or are you going to admit there’s something else going on with you, and fix it before you go crazy or whatever?”

Flipping the page in his history book, he gave a stiff shake of his head. “I’m really, truly fine, and I really think you’re picking up on things that aren’t actually there. Nothing happened, nothing is different, nothing is off, and if you don’t mind, I need to get back to studying.” His eyes flicked back over to Cecil’s, taking in the displeased look on his roommate and friend of ten year’s face. “If you don’t leave me be, I’ll be forced to go someplace quieter to finish.”

Cecil smirked, cocking his head to the side. “Fine by me, at least you’ll be forced to get out of this room, and maybe the fresh air will do you some good. Have you even eaten anything today? Liquid diet doesn’t constitute nourishment, so don’t you dare say yes when the answer is actually no.” When Will slumped a little in his seat, Cecil scoffed loudly. “Alright, we’re getting food first, and I will follow you around until you comply, so you might as well just acquiesce and do it without a fight.”

* * *

Even with a full belly and another few cups of coffee, he still found himself feeling strangely as he browsed the shelves in the library, looking for something to occupy his mind. Cecil had convinced him to lay off the school work for the rest of the day, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t read something that wasn’t related. Fiction, non fiction, it really didn’t matter much, he plucked things from the rows and stacked them one after the other, until his arms felt like they might fall off if he didn’t set them down soon. It was moments like these that he wondered why no one thought of little carts to push around until you were satisfied with your selection. Making multiple trips was really more hassle than it was worth.

Rounding the corner, he let out a surprised yelp as his body connected with something hard and warm. Books tumbled down around him, slipping from his arms as they flailed about to try and catch his balance. A hand caught onto his, pulling him upright and straight back into the warm, hard surface. He took a deep, cleansing breath, startled slightly by the familiarity of the spicy scent that greeted him.

“Are you alright,” the equally familiar voice asked, stepping back to assess the damage. Deep obsidian eyes traveled down the length of him, checking for visible injury.

Swallowing hard, Will felt the heat that slowly brightened his cheeks. The soft, smooth sound of Nico’s accent jarred his insides, and he realized in that moment how much he missed the purr of the other’s voice. Closing his eyes, he nodded stiffly, before sinking to his knees and scrambling to collect his books. In his peripheral vision, he noticed Nico did much the same, making his own, small pile before handing them off.

“Th-thanks,” Will spluttered, sidestepping the boy still crouched down on the ground.

“Are you sure you’re okay,” Nico asked, making Will pause briefly in his intended escape.

Turning back to the other, he watched him rise slowly to his feet, admiring the fluidity and grace Nico seemed to exhibit without even trying. Nothing Will had ever done was even close to graceful, he was too twitchy and spastic to be considered fluid or agile.

Even with Nico’s dark exterior, his face full of metal and his shaggy, unkempt mane, he still looked like a sleek, beautiful, exotic creature, far superior to Will’s diminished and downplayed self. Why he could ever think something so elegant and regal would want anything to do with him once Nico realized the inferiority between the two of them was actually quite laughable, though the thought did nothing to stop the sudden sharp twist inside his gut.

His insides were aflame with far too many confusing emotions to figure out the proper answer to such a trite question. With a cleansing breath through his nose, he released it in a puff of air, almost like a sigh. “Yeah, never been better,” he finally replied, shocked by the calm and collected sound of his voice. Regardless of the barrage of things inside of him, he remained almost bored and unaffected in speech.

Nico offered a tight smile, nodding his head so gently it almost didn’t look like he’d even moved at all. “Good. Well, I guess I’ll-“

Will didn’t wait to hear the rest, and Nico didn’t seem to want to finish as the other shuffled away in what Will hoped seemed like a calm, collected manner. He couldn’t bring himself to listen to the falsehood Nico was about to let slip from his mouth, and as hot anger reared up inside of him, he was too afraid of shouting to stick around and confirm his suspicions further.

No, they wouldn’t just see each other around, because Nico wasn’t acknowledging his presence, even as Will couldn’t help but acknowledge Nico’s. It wasn’t fair, being the only one to sit there hopeful of further contact, only to have those hopes dashed time after time after time. If Nico wanted to pretend like nothing ever happened, that was fine with him. He could find other things to occupy his mind.

Besides, the likelihood of taking another class together in the coming semester was quite slim, so he really only needed to go one more week before he could put everything behind him and actually move forward with his life. One, small hiccup wasn’t going to derail his life forever. Setting the enormous pile of books down, he pulled the topmost one from the stack and cracked the thing open. Books were the best kind of distraction. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments really do help me focus on writing more, they're the best kind of inspiration.


	7. A reprieve from loneliness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico finds a book he likes and spends a little time in the library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nico POV.  
> Aren't I so nice, two chapters in one day.  
> I was inspired.

Nico wandered through the library, completely lost in thought. It had been three weeks to the day since he’d approached the beautiful boy in this very same place, hopeful to get to know him better, if only just as friends. All of the foresight in the world couldn’t have prepared him for what was going to come next, and he chastised himself for scarring the poor guy away so tremendously that he wouldn’t even feel comfortable in his usual safe space. Not that he’d been back to check again after the following day, or ever, for that matter. 

Hazel had convinced him to allow the guy a little time and space to wrap his head around things. She seemed rather confident that Will would come to him if he wanted to, so he tried his best not to seem overbearing and stalkerish in his approach of the situation. It took all of his willpower not to gaze longingly periodically, but somehow, he’d made it through three, agonizingly slow weeks of pure torment.

His feet moved on their own, guiding him down the isle in an aimless fashion. Hazel was once again visiting Frank for the weekend, so he decided to leave the depressing enclosure of his apartment and venture someplace with other humans, even if he didn’t intend on speaking with any of them. Eyes lowered, he reached the end of the shelf, making to hang a right when something slammed against him pretty hard.

Blinking rapidly, his vision adjusted just in time to witness the wild flailing of the blond as the thud of books rained down around them. His hand shot out of its own accord, catching the wrist of the boy just as he started to topple over backwards. He tugged hard, managing to right the other, only to have him stumble forward straight into his chest. Lemon and vanilla invaded his senses, drowning him in a wave of rippling, chaotic emotion.

Resisting the urge to wrap his arms around the other, Nico grasped onto Will’s shoulders until the other’s legs seemed to find their own balance. “Are you alright,” he asked softly, stepping back and releasing his hold.

His eyes drank in the other, from the look of complete shock, to the crooked set of his glasses, all the way down to his rumpled jeans and red converse. Nico’s breath caught, startled by the sheer loveliness he’d avoided glimpsing for so long. Images swam behind his eyes, memories of the entire semester’s worth of pining flashing before him in a matter of seconds.

Will seemed to come out of his stupor, blinking a few times before giving an oddly stiff nod. When he sank down to retrieve the fallen books, Nico felt a twinge of remorse for causing the other even more distress. Following suit, he collected those nearest to him, and handed them off, balancing gently on the balls of his feet.

“Th-thanks,” Will mumbled, hurriedly rising up and trying to flee the scene.

Nico’s mouth spoke before his brain could think better of the action. “Are you sure you’re okay,” he asked quietly, swallowing thickly when Will paused briefly a few steps away. No longer in immediate arm’s reach, Nico’s senses began to work again, allowing him to rise up, even as those crystal blue eyes bore into him fiercely.

Will seemed to assess something, gaze going glassy for a moment before it shone with complete clarity. “Yeah, never been better,” he replied cooly, shifting the positioning of his person slightly away, as if he was looking for his out.

Nico kicked himself again for forcing the other to acknowledge him, when it couldn’t be any clearer that all he wanted to do was run away again. Even as those eyes dared Nico to argue why their conversation shouldn’t be cut short, he went against his very nature and allowed the other his leave. With a small smile, he nodded slightly, trying to fight back the sickening sense of defeat. “Good. Well, I guess I’ll-“

Will spun around and scurried off, ending the conversation short. Nico watched him go, mouth slackened, tongue heavy as a ton of lead. If he ever needed another sign that the guy didn’t want to converse with him, that was it. It was all he could do not to whimper and run off, reminding himself of his original plan to avoid depression by completely surrounding his person with other individuals.

Even if he wanted nothing more than to hide away under the blankets in the dark for the rest of forever, he resolved himself to continue onward, whatever the cost. Turning to leave, he caught a glimpse of a book peeking out from beneath the shelf, barely visible save for the end corner.

In their haste to collect all of the dropped items, the two must have missed this one, so he bent down and retrieved the thing. It was only some random novel, nothing particularly important. Tucking it gently in his arms, he wandered off in search of a seat. Will wouldn’t miss the single book for as long as it took him to finish the thing, after all, he had at least fifteen in his possession to begin with. When Nico was finished, perhaps he’d find the boy and kindly offer it back.

* * *

 

The book was longer than he thought, and by the time he was a little over halfway through, his stomach rumbled angrily and reminded him of the hour. The clock on the wall said it was past seven, so he collected his things and placed the book on a shelf, determined to return and complete it the following day. Surprisingly, he really enjoyed the plot line, and hoped the end was as good as the beginning was. Maybe the subject would be a good conversational piece at a later time, though, the fact Will was looking to check it out probably meant he’d never read the thing before. Not unless he was one of those people that read things they loved again and again, just for the sake of the story.

As he walked through the empty shelves, he decided it would actually be a nice reprieve from his loneliness to wander back there another partial day, solely to kill some time. He didn’t want to bother going through the motions of checking the book out for the evening, because then he’d finish it too soon and that would be it, his reasons for returning the next day would revert back to zero. Secretly, deep down, he hoped Will would also return to the library. Even if Nico didn’t find the courage to speak once more, just knowing he wasn’t the cause of more distress would make everything a little better.

It was no surprise that the other was already gone when he passed by the usual table. That, or he had vacated shortly after their encounter. Nico had made a point to avoid the space he knew the other liked to frequent, so he never saw where the boy had run off to after their strange run in a few hours before. As he walked the path back towards his apartment, his mind strayed again, flicking over the minuscule amounts of conversation they’d had with one another the only time they actually spoke.

Part of him regretted admitting his competence in their shared class. After all, the boy looked perfectly at ease when he was supposedly tutoring an idiot slacker with no regard for personal space. He wasn’t sure how being on the same level as someone made them far more of a threat, but the turning point really seemed to start the moment he came clean and stopped feigning ignorance. Perhaps it was more so the fact that he had lied, though that in no way seemed to faze the other until hours and hours later, so he doubted that was the likely issue. Maybe Will just didn’t know how to turn someone down, and that was why he up and fled.

He slept like hell, and come the morning, he almost didn’t get out of bed. Of course, it would be easier to avoid the library, never knowing how big of an impact he was able to cause. If it wasn’t for the nagging little voice inside of him that begged to finish the novel he’d left, he might have chickened out and called it good enough.

The entire stroll back to campus and through the large double doors gave him such bad anxiety, he avoided the route down by the computers, and averted his eyes as he found the rumpled paperback, gently tucked in the exact spot he’d left it in. Returning to the little desk hidden quietly in a corner of the large room, he immersed himself once more into the chaotic existence of the characters living within those pages.

The hours ticked past, each one blending into the next. Eyes scanned the lines as quickly as possible, ingraining them deep inside of his brain. People who had loved and lost and fought and died, all for the sake of their kingdom, that was steadily thrown into a chaotic uproar of usurpers and villains and heroes and martyrs. By the time he'd finished, his head was spinning with the knowledge of some fabricated place, where justice wasn’t just and the good would probably all die to fight their cause. In short, he was hooked, and as he rose from his seat, he checked the little tag that might point him in the direction of where to find the next book in the series.

He perused the isles, scanning the contents until he landed on the exact spot. There, perfectly nestled in the lower right hand corner, was the series he was looking for, save the one addition he held in his hands. Switching it out for the following title, he checked his watch and frowned. Somehow, the hour had shifted so far past what he’d thought it could be, he didn’t comprehend how it was even possible. He’d missed lunch and was on his way to missing dinner, but the words that consumed him so thoroughly never hinted at their ploy. Perhaps, just for the sake of his sanity, he’d check out the book and read it at home.

As he walked down the isle, a familiar mop of hair caught his attention from out of the corner of his eye. Sparing a glance, he noticed the other was face first in his book, either upset over something, or completely exhausted. When his curiosity got the best of him, he snuck up quietly, gauging the situation all the while. Will didn’t move much, a fact that slowly turned his mild curiosity into outright panic. Crouching low beside the other, he listened hard for the sound of breathing. It came, muffled by the book page, but audible nonetheless.

Releasing the breath he didn’t realize he was holding, he nudged Will gently, hopeful to rouse him from his slumber. The other responded with a hum of acknowledgement, but didn’t budge. This time, he added words into the mix, hopeful to wake Will with the sound of his voice. “Hey, you’ve fallen asleep in the library,” he murmured, shaking the boy by the shoulder. Still no response.

Worrying his lip between his teeth, he came around from behind and gingerly pulled the other up into a sitting position. Will groaned a little, slumping forward slightly, attempting to meet his forehead back onto the page. The sound of mumbled speech greeted Nico’s ears, but he couldn’t make out anything other than ‘Cecil’ and ‘fine.’ Pinning the boy back with one arm, he crouched back down to get a good look at his face.

Sickly pale skin greeted him, almost grey compared to its usual golden glow. Blueish crescents encircled the underside of his eyes, slightly puffy, as if from lack of sleep. His face appeared damp, the little pieces of hair closest to his hairline stringy from sweat. Reaching a hand up, Nico cupped it over Will’s cheek, gasping when it felt both clammy and excessively hot.

“Will, are you feeling alright? I really don’t think you should be here right now. Come on, wake up.”

Eyes fluttered a little, the brief view a mess of blood red and strikingly blue. His brow creased, chin dipping down to Nico’s arm. “Sleep,” he whined, though the sound was so quiet, it was almost like the tiny mew of a kitten.

Nico glanced around, unsure of what to do next. No one was around, not that he couldn’t go looking for help; he just wasn’t sure what they’d do with the guy once he found someone. “Alright, you can sleep, just let me take you home. Can you tell me how to get you home?”

Will’s head lolled back, lips parting gently as he shifted his weight down into the seat. Nico frowned, but found himself able to let the other go enough to rummage through his school bag in search of a cellphone. Hopefully, Will wasn’t one of those overly worried people who only allowed access after a passcode was presented. A fingerprint could be managed, cracking a four digit code was too hard. When he checked every pocket twice, he heaved a sigh and gave up. Of course Will forgot the phone, why wouldn’t he?

Without much choice left, he strapped the bag over his shoulder and lifted the slumbering Will from his chair. Thankfully, he was lighter than he looked, and after a couple of adjustments, Nico was able to maneuver the body into his arms, carrying Will bridal style out of the doors and into the night.

A few people gave the two of them strange looks, but he offered up a sheepish grin, and no one questioned the matter past that. It probably looked like Will was too drunk to get home, and that Nico was nicely taking the guy off to bed. He supposed half of that was the truth, though whose bed Will would end up in made a slight blush rise to his cheeks.

The walk back was only moderately difficult, mostly due to the distance he had to go. By the time he got up the stairs to the door, he was dripping with sweat and regretted not taking off his jacket beforehand. The struggle with his keys was probably the hardest job, having to set down Will’s legs and fish around inside his bag, while keeping the two of them balanced, and bearing the weight with just one arm. Throwing open his front door, he staggered inside and kicked it shut with a loud bang.

Silence greeted him, the clock on the wall indicating Hazel was still flying home. That was good, he didn’t want to explain why he had an unconscious person in his arms, consequently the same person who had been the cause of weeks of torment and mild depression. Not that Will was exactly to blame, it was mostly just the fact that he existed just outside the realm of possibility that really messed the other up.

Setting Will gently upon the bed, he pulled a light blanket over his person and laid a hand back upon his cheek. The feeling was colder than before, but in the same way one’s face is cold after being in freezing temperatures. Perhaps in an hour or two, if he hadn’t stirred before then, Nico would recheck for fever. Swiping a few strands of hair off the other’s forehead, he turned to leave. A cool grip clasped onto his wrist, drawing his attention back to the half opened blue gaze.

“Stay,” Will croaked, releasing his hold and snaking the arm beneath the cover. Nico sat on the edge of the mattress, offering a small smile as confirmation. After a beat or two, Will frowned up at him, rolling onto his back and wiggling over in the bed just enough to put a little distance between the two of them. “Down,” he whined.

Nico blinked a few times before realization dawned on him. “Oh,” he said, kicking off his shoes and removing his jacket. Laying on his side, he watched Will for any indication the other might have meant something else.

Will’s eyes slipped shut once more, head drooping slightly in Nico’s direction. His lips parted with a small sigh, lashes fluttering gently over his cheeks. “Glasses,” he breathed, and Nico obliged, just as the telltale signs of sleep overcame him.

He didn’t know how long he managed to fight back his own exhaustion, but the last thing he remembered was the wonderful sight of Will looking relaxed in his presence, and the bubbly sensation that warmed his body, from the tips of his fingers, to the ends of his toes.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess the book Nico was reading, win a prize. You can pick the prize, within reason?
> 
> When I don't update for days and days, you can blame my double update.
> 
> Though, comments do help keep me on track... just saying. :3


	8. The morning after

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will wakes up in a strange place. Just how did he end up in Nico's bed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Valentine's Day, and Bailci, who guessed the correct book. :D

Will awoke in a cocoon of warmth and happiness. Even though he couldn’t remember ever getting home, the feeling of soft pillows and warm blankets had him snuggling deeper into the mattress, a happy sigh escaping his lips. It was probably still pretty early if his alarm hadn’t gone off yet, but he cracked an eye open anyway, just to steal a glance at the clock. The tan skinned, raven haired, beautiful creature beside him would have made him scream, if he wasn’t so genuinely shocked to see Nico’s slumbering person next to him, long, silky eyelashes brushing the tops of his cheeks with feather light kisses.

The shock wore off as his mind worked through the dreamlike images that floated by; falling asleep at the library due to utter exhaustion, and the small glimpses of someone carrying him through the cold night air before laying him down against soft blankets. Even the sleepy whispers he’d let slip from his mouth, the plea for his craving to be met with shared space and contented nearness, seemed like a far off realm, nothing like the sobering truth he felt in that moment. He’d actually requested for Nico to join him. In a bed. Alone.

Fire burned his cheeks and he scooted away slowly, until his legs found the edge of the mattress, and he was able to quietly slip from the blankets without waking the other. The farthest objects in his path were blurred by his poor vision, but he managed to make out a night table at the other side of the bed, and the red, glowing digits that signified an alarm clock. His glasses would most likely be sitting somewhere upon said table, and, since his shoes and jacket still appeared to be on, he could find his bag, scribble a quick thanks, and leave before he embarrassed himself further.

Sure enough, he found the gently folded lenses on the very edge of the table; and after slipping them on, he saw it was still early enough that he could run home and shower before classes started. Tip toeing his way quietly through the room, he turned the doorknob with nimble fingers, thankful the the door only released the smallest of whispers as he pulled it open and slipped soundlessly out. Even the soft kiss of metal on metal barely made a peep in the otherwise serene early morning atmosphere. Luckily, he saw his bag sitting next to the front door, which meant his escape was almost nigh.

Glancing at the closed door mere feet in front of him, he snuck past, suddenly even more embarrassed that Nico lived with his sister, who probably knew nothing about him and wouldn’t understand a stranger creeping through the dark at six in the morning. He cleared the hallway and swooped down to rummage through his bag, searching for a pen and paper to leave on the table. Even if the girl found it first, it was better than her finding him there.

It took a moment to find a spare, unused sheet of notebook paper, most of the spiral bound book was already used up this close to the end of the semester. A quiet chuckle behind him made gooseflesh rise up on his arms, and he glanced back slowly, assessing the situation.

A short girl with mocha skin and cinnamon hair stood leaning against the wall, a steamy mug of pleasant smelling liquid clutched between both hands. Her golden eyes crinkled in the corners, full lips drawn up in an amused smile. She wore a magenta tank top and baggy blue and white striped shorts, even though the temperature in the apartment couldn’t have been more than sixty eight at most, which was far too cold for someone warm blooded like Will. On her feet, giant orange Garfield slippers devoured her to the ankle, the rim of the things made to look like a mouth, with big, white eyes staring upward a little creepily.

“Care for some coffee before you head out, Will?” Her voice was soft and pleasant, holding no hint of malice or sarcasm. Taking a slow sip of her drink, her eyes never broke their contact from his shocked expression.

Will swallowed around the lump in his throat, licking his lips tentatively. “You know my name,” he mumbled, wincing slightly at the utterly stupid first sentence spoken with the strange girl.

She cocked an eyebrow, humming in amusement. “Indeed, I do. Is that surprising to you?”

Will rose to his feet, leaving the bag on the floor by the door, but clutching the notebook to his chest. “Not really, I guess. You’re… Hazel, right? Nico’s sister?”

Hazel laughed. “Last time I checked.” She pushed off the wall, closing the distance between them slowly, almost the same way Nico approached him, like he might get scared and run away. “Do you like coffee? I have tea, if you prefer. Nico is more of the coffee drinker in the house, but I know he wouldn’t mind if you had a cup.” She stopped a foot away, allowing a little space to remain between them.

Will shifted his weight from foot to foot, unsure what to say. “You’re not surprised I’m here,” he finally managed.

She shook her head, smiling again. “I got in last night kind of late. I found you two asleep and decided not to disturb you. Nico hasn’t been sleeping very well, but he looked peaceful for once.”

A blush rose to his cheeks, and he took a hesitant step back. “Ah, I don’t really remember much. I think I passed out in the library or something. I really should be getting back to my dorm, I have to get ready for class. I’ll leave a note, could you give it to him when he gets up?”

Hazel narrowed her eyes slightly. “What time is your first class?”

“Nine o clock,” he replied automatically, then winced when he realized the implications. “But, uh, I need to finish up revising beforehand, since the final is today and whatnot.”

She hummed again, this time skeptically, setting her cup down on the breakfast bar before crossing her arms over her chest. Even with a good seven inches on her height, she was still absolutely terrifying when she gave him a look of displeasure. “I think you owe him an in person explanation, at the very least. You have time, better get to it.”

Will spluttered a little, blinking rapidly. “I, uh, I really should-“

“Do you like Nico?” She asked, eyeing him cooly.

“What?”

“Do you like him,” she repeated, very matter of fact.

The question caught him off guard and he rubbed the back of his neck in thought. “I mean, I don’t dislike him, but I wouldn't go so far as to say like. I mean, I don’t really know him, do I?”

She smirked, cocking her head to the side. “Are you trying to avoid him for some reason?”

“Uh, no,” he mumbled, looking down at his shoes. It was mostly the truth. Nico was the one avoiding him, so he didn’t really see the purpose in hounding the guy if he wasn’t keen on conversing.

“Are you sure about that,” she asked lightly, drawing his attention back up to her face. Liquid gold assessed him for a moment, before a bubbly laugh burst from her mouth. “Oh. Oh my.” She covered her mouth with one hand, eyes dancing with amusement. “I really, really think you should go tell him thanks or whatever in person. I’ll make some coffee and you can take it with if you’d like.”

He went to argue, but thought better of it. Instead, he sat down in a chair at the dining table, watching the girl as she opened up cupboards and pulled out a bag of coffee and a bean grinder. The loud buzz of blades grinding up the whole beans was a little startling, seeing as how he only had ever purchased them already ground, and he frowned slightly when she filled up a kettle with water, before placing it on the stovetop.

“Are you just going to sit there,” she asked, leaning against the counter while the water heated up.

Will shrugged his shoulders. “Coffee gives me motivation,” he replied quietly, wondering why she didn’t move the beans to a machine and why the water needed to be hot before adding it. Perhaps their drip was broken, and she needed to hand pour it over the filter.

Hazel emptied the grinder into a cylindrical glass tube, bringing it over and setting it on the table. “Nico is much the same. You can bring him a cup when it’s ready, then.”

Will stared at the French press, or what he assumed was one, since he’d never used one in his life, with mild curiosity. “Does that make it better than the machines,” he asked, glancing up into her amused face. Instantly, he felt silly for asking, and sank a little lower in his seat. As far as strange looks went, he could see how the two were related.

“I’m not so sure myself, but Nico swears by it. I’m pretty partial to those keurig machines, seems like it’s the easiest.” The water began to whistle, so she left to fetch it.

Will eyed the thing a little longer, watching the water instantly turn black the second she poured it over the grounds. It got lighter the higher she filled it, until it was a strange, light brown color, almost see through where the grounds weren’t still swirling around inside. “Is that all,” he asked when she set the lid on top and sat down across from him.

She smiled again, lacing her fingers together and propping them beneath her chin. “You wait a few minutes, then you depress it and it keeps most of the grounds out of the cup. Most, not all, so fair warning.” He nodded in response, watching the liquid steadily becoming darker. After a moment or two, she cleared her throat. “So, Will, tell me about yourself.”

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “What would you like to know, exactly?”

Hazel chuckled. “Oh, anything. Nothing serious, if you don’t want. What’s your major, for instance?”

“Ah, Environmental Engineering.”

She gave a low whistle. “I’m impressed, engineering is tough. Lots of studying, though from what I gather, you don’t have any trouble buckling down and getting it done.”

He gave her a curious look, titling his head slightly to the side. “How would you know that?”

Rising from her seat, she went and grabbed two mugs. “Sugar, creamer, milk, take it black?”

Will shrugged. "Black is fine, though I’ll drink it however.”

“Alright, two black coffees, coming right up.” She poured the hot liquid into the cup and handed them over. “I’m actually going to go on a run after this, so I probably won’t be here when you leave. I hope to see you again soon, Will.” Her eyes shined with some strange emotion, before she broke their gaze and began walking off toward her room.

Swallowing hard, he gave a nod. “Thank you for the coffee, Hazel.”

"Don't mention it," she called from the hallway, then the sound of a door closing indicated she was gone.

He stared down at the two white cups in his hands, contemplating leaving before it was too late. Something told him Hazel would probably hunt him down and drag him back at some point, so he sighed heavily and shuffled back toward Nico’s room. Perhaps the hardest part was opening the door with full hands, and he sat one cup gently down on the floor before turning the knob.

Nico was already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed, head in his hands. Will paused at the sight of him, shoulders slumped, fingers rubbing small circles into his temples. Not wanting to intrude, he cleared his throat, drawing the startled, black gaze his way. For just one instant, he wondered if he looked alright, before chastising himself for caring.

Nico smiled softly, pivoting his body so they were face to face. “I thought you’d left,” he murmured, watching as Will slowly walked into the room, before taking the offered cup of coffee.

Will stood there awkwardly, holding his mug with both hands, unsure of what to do. “Yeah, I was leaving, but Hazel offered me this and I felt it was rude to refuse."

Nico laughed, the sound melodious and sweet. “So you mean she trapped you into staying by being intimidating.”

Will chuckled. “More or less. Not that I wouldn’t have, on my own.” He shuffled around a bit. “Sorry for causing you trouble. I can’t believe you had to carry me that far all on your own.” The blush that was steadily spreading across his face seemed to darken when Nico laughed again.

“Don’t be. It was, after all, a choice.” Taking a long sip of coffee, he set the cup down on the night table and stood up. “You can sit, if you like.”

Shaking his head, Will chewed on his lip. “That’s alright, I enjoy standing sometimes.”

Nico hummed skeptically, then picked up his cup and walked out of the room. Will watched him go for a moment, before following after. He found him in the kitchen, rifling through the fridge and pulling out various items. When he was satisfied with the content, he closed it, and fished around in the cupboard for a pan.

“I’m sure Hazel didn’t offer you food, she’s a terrible cook.”

Will took a sip of his coffee and shrugged. “That’s alright, I probably would have just said no anyway.”

Nico chuckled softly. “So, how do you take your eggs?”

“Ah, scrambled, I guess,” he mumbled, swirling the liquid around the cup. At the sound of eggs breaking against the pan, he glanced up. “Oh, but I’m fine, really.”

Nico cocked an eyebrow, giving him much the same, intimidating look Hazel had not long before. “You weigh practically nothing and you looked so sick and exhausted in the library, I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’re not eating properly, and over exerting yourself. I’m sure you have time before class to eat something.”

Will was going to argue, but the angry rumble in his stomach reminded him that he actually hadn’t been eating well, aside from the quick breakfast he caught with Cecil on Saturday. With a sigh, he plopped down in the chair and finished the remainder of his beverage. “I guess I have a little bit of time,” he replied quietly, chasing a drop of liquid with his finger as it ran down the side of the mug.

Nico sizzled and flipped, clanked and scraped the pan for a good five minutes before the sound of a toaster popping signaled the end of preparation. He set the full plate in front of the other, sitting down with his own, less loaded one across from Will with a smile. “I have strawberry and blueberry preserves, if you like,” he murmured, gesturing toward the little jars on the table.

Will took the red jar and Nico took the blue. “You didn’t have to feed me, you know,” he said after a moment.

Nico shrugged. “I’ve already told you I enjoy cooking. It was no problem.”

They ate in silence for some time, Will enjoying the strange flavor of the little sausages and the slightly sour-sweet taste of the homemade fruit spread. The eggs were light and fluffy, somehow better than the ones he normally ate. He contemplated asking Nico how even his scrambled eggs were extraordinary, when the other titled his head questioningly.

“So, it’s finally finals week, have any plans for the break?”

Will set his fork down and frowned. “Not really, no.”

Nico nodded, absentmindedly fiddling with the handle of his cup. “Well, I hope you’ll get some rest, then.”

Will’s frown deepened, and he narrowed his eyes apprehensively. White, hot emotions stirred from somewhere deep inside of him, and he wanted nothing more than to lash out. “Why are you fishing for small talk? Won’t it be easier to just continue ignoring me until the end of the week? I don’t really see a purpose here.”

Nico blinked in surprise, then furrowed his brow. “I don’t understand, when have I ignored you," he replied, sounding perplexed.

Will pushed his chair back, slowly rising to his feet. “Thank you for the food, and thank you for going out of your way to look out for me, but I’m fine now, so you can stop pretending like you care about me or what I’m doing.”

“I… what?”

Heaving a sigh, he lifted his glasses to rub small circles into his eyelids, before slipping them back into place. “I really should be going. I guess I’ll see you in our last class.” He turned to leave, marching over to his bag and slipping it over his shoulder.

Nico grabbed him by the arm and spun him around. “Wait, I honestly don’t know why you’re upset with me right now. Please, just talk to me.”

Will eyed him back cooly, determined to fight down the strange sensation bubbling up inside of him. “I’m not upset. I just don’t want to keep up the pleasantries when they’re pointless.”

Nico frowned, worrying his lip between his teeth. “Is it because you don’t like me,” he asked quietly, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

Will took a step back, colliding softly with the cool, metal door. “I… fail to see how my emotions have any effect on the outcome of the situation. Really, I need to go change and stuff before class.” Reaching blindly for the handle, he turned it slowly.

Nico grabbed him by the arm again, just as he was going to leave. “Because, I like you… so-“

Will scoffed. “You have a funny way of showing it. Do you always act like the people you like don’t exist outside of whenever it’s beneficial to you?”

"Wh-what? I…” Nico shook his head. “You’ve got it all wrong.”

“Do tell,” Will replied flatly. If he didn’t get out of there soon, he was going to break under the weight of all the anger bubbling through his veins. He couldn't let himself go there, not ever. All he needed to do was pull free of the other’s grasp, and he could run away again, just like the last time.

“I really do like you, I just thought that-“

Will huffed. “Please let go of me already,” he grumbled, tugging his arm to attempt to free it.

Nico loosened his grip a little. “Will,” he pleaded softly. “I honestly wasn’t trying to avoid you. I was giving you space. I thought… I thought you would come to me if you wanted to. I’m trying.”

“I said, let go of me,” Will growled, yanking free. “It doesn’t matter. The semester will be over soon, you won’t have to see me again afterward.”

“Is that what you want?”

Will blinked at him a few times, before turning to leave. “I said it doesn’t matter.”

This time, Nico spun him around and pulled him close, merging their mouths together softly. Will gasped against his lips, but didn’t try to pull away. “If you don’t want this, I won’t force you,” he murmured soothingly, almost like a gentle caress. Placing another light kiss against Will’s mouth, he pulled back, black eyes glossy, breath coming out in little puffs.

Will’s fingertips gingerly brushed the sensitive skin, eyes wide with shock. How the most delicate of kisses could make his skin burn so hot, he wasn’t sure, but for a fleeting moment, he regretted the loss of contact. Swallowing hard, he took a step back. “I really do have to get going,” he breathed, then turned around and ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, sneak attack kisses and scared boys.  
> Hey, it's still a kiss, even if the end result isn't necessarily warm and fuzzy.  
> They'll get there... eventually. ;)
> 
> Hazel knows what's up.


	9. A sister's intuition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hazel talks with Nico, then gives in to her curiosity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hazel POV chapter. Didn't see this one coming.

Her run took longer than usual, forcing herself to take another lap around the park before she took her time walking home. The crisp, December air was cool and refreshing on her blazing skin, the slight wind chill turning the little beads of sweat that collected along her hairline into a much needed ice pack. A glance at her watch told her it was nearing eight forty in the morning, which meant there was a good chance Nico was officially alone in the apartment, if he even decided to hang back. His first class wasn’t until after ten, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t follow the other boy to campus.

Having finally met Will, she was confident in her assessment that both boys liked one another pretty equally, they were just terrible at admitting their feelings out loud. Forcing them to converse probably wasn’t the best plan she’d ever come up with, but hopefully it was a good step in the right direction. For weeks Nico had moped around, pretending like the silence didn’t bother him as much as she knew it did. It would appear, based on Will’s strange reaction, that he too felt irritated by the lack of contact; though why he didn’t just instigate some was beyond her.

Opening the apartment door, Hazel was caught off guard by the image of Nico slumped against the wall beneath the breakfast nook, head bowed down, face hidden behind his hands. Her heart plummeted into her stomach, knowing the look of defeat without even having to ask the question. Will had said or done something that left Nico feeling like a failure, and considering the fact her brother was actually quite sensitive to rejection, it really could have been anything, though she had an idea it was much the same as before.

Taking a knee beside him, she placed a cool hand over his warm wrist. “Do you want to talk about it,” she asked gently, noticing the slight twitch he gave, which indicated she had probably startled him. He must really be out of it, if he didn’t hear the soft click of the door latching, or the thunk of her shoes hitting the ground only feet away.

Nico rubbed both hands up into his hair, raking fingers across his scalp. The skin of his face was a little paler than usual, but it didn’t appear blotchy, so he thankfully hadn’t been crying; not that it was a common thing, at least for a few years now. Heaving a sigh, he shook his head. “I don’t really have anything to say,” he replied quietly, voice wavering slightly.

Hazel plopped down beside him against the wall, nudging him gently with her shoulder. “Come on, it can’t be that bad, can it?”

Pulling his legs up to his chest, he wrapped arms around them, resting his chin on his knee. Eyes stared sadly down at his bare feet, and for the first time, Hazel noticed he was dressed in a black tank and black jeans, which meant he slept in his clothes again. Normally, Nico was more than happy lounging around most of the morning in his pajamas, but occasionally he didn’t bother changing, especially after a long day. She wondered briefly if it was another sign of something serious, then remembered Will stayed the night, and that he probably felt self conscious in his typical combo of boxer briefs and loose band tees.

Nico hummed quietly. “Do you ever wish you could take something back, because the second you do it, you know it’ll end badly?” His dark eyes glanced sidelong at her, then flicked back to the floor. “I feel like that’s been a reoccurring issue, but I can’t stop making poor decisions, and all they do is push him further away. Even if there was a slight chance he liked me before, I’m pretty sure I’ve ruined it now.”

She shrugged before she realized he wasn’t looking her way, then placed a comforting hand on his back. “I think everyone makes stupid mistakes, but I’m pretty sure you’re a lot harder on yourself than you need to be. Tell me what happened.”

He titled his head her direction, smiling humorlessly. “Well, I tried to just talk normally, but I think I said something wrong and he got angry with me. Then he pretty much accused me of only caring when it’s convenient, told me I won’t ever have to see him again after Thursday, and ran off. Oh, but that was after I was stupid enough to think kissing him might somehow portray things better than my words have. You should have seen the look of utter horror he gave me.” Raking a hand down his face, he sighed again. “I honestly don’t understand myself, I’m trying so hard to hold on to someone that clearly wants nothing to do with me, and I don’t even know why. I’ve never felt this way before.”

Hazel hummed thoughtfully. “Well, I do agree that kissing someone who is berating you for something isn’t the smartest idea.” He gave her a withering look and she laughed. “But I don’t think you’re correct when you assume he wants nothing to do with you. I mean, you don’t know his past, and you don’t know what he’s really like, so you can’t assume how he feels without asking him outright. And I think that’s part of your issue, you just need to ask him straight up. Lay your cards down and see where it takes you.”

Nico snorted, returning his gaze back down to his toes. “Yeah, right. He’ll probably avoid me like the plague even worse than the first time around. You know I saw him in the library on Saturday? He couldn’t run away fast enough after only a few short sentences. And then I was dumb enough to take him here because I didn’t know what else to do when I found him fevered and delirious. I should have just left him alone like you told me to, then I wouldn’t be in this mess now.”

Hazel scoffed loudly. “I said that you should give him space to approach you, not avoid him when you see him suffering. You did the right thing, Nico. He probably needs time to digest waking up next to a boy he very clearly likes.”

Nico scowled at that, another rare sight these days. “I don’t know how you got that silly idea,” he muttered.

With a sigh, she climbed out from under the small overhanging, stretching her muscles out where they’d begun to cramp. “I have eyes, that’s how. Now I’m going to go shower before classes, I’m pretty sticky and sweaty. You should get ready for your own classes, and stop this pouting. Talk to the guy, Nico. At least then you’ll know.”

He gave a tight nod, though his face looked more than reluctant. As she walked to her room to collect a change of clothes, she wondered just how long the two idiots would take before they realized that both of them wanted the exact same things.

* * *

 

She massaged out the tension in her aching fingers, staring down at the claw like pose they seemed to be stuck in. Who knew writing could be so painful. Of course, taking notes sometimes left her fingers a little tingly and numb, but that was nothing compared to the grueling final in her English Lit class, which, of course, involved a wordy essay summarizing the entirety of the course from start to finish, and counted for half her grade in the overall exam. Thankfully, it was her final class of the evening, or she wouldn’t be able to handle another minute of it.

Pulling her bag higher up onto her shoulder, she began walking back to the apartment, thinking about the semester. It was her very first, being a year younger than her brother, who had already been attending the college the previous term. Her boyfriend had asked her to apply for their town’s local college, but she had declined, wanting to spend more time with her brother who was still struggling a little with depression and loneliness, not that he openly admitted such things.

It wasn’t easy, choosing Nico over Frank, and they’d gotten into a few arguments about the matter, especially when Frank refused to change course for her sake. In the end, both agreed spending every few weekends together wasn’t the worst thing that could happen, and her father was more than happy to pay for her flights so long as she agreed to spend one dinner with him each visit.

It worked out well in her favor, the English program was far better in New York than it was in California, so her dream of becoming a teacher could still be met. It was also lucky that her father had the kind of money to send her across the country for school, and flying back and forth between the two places every few weeks, or her relationship with Frank might prove even harder.

That was another reason she’d decided to stay with Nico. When her father had introduced them just after her thirteenth birthday, it had been quite the shock. Her parents had been married and happily together until her mother’s passing at the age of eleven, and since Nico was only just barely a year older than she was, it meant the man had a whole, other life she never knew existed before; complete with two other children, one of which had already passed away after a terribly sad battle with cancer, and one that was left alone in the world, with no one to turn to.

Being an only child, a strange, protective fierceness burned inside her chest at the idea that any brother of hers was struggling due to hardship, and she made it a point from that first meeting on to always stand by his side and take care of him. Lord knows their father wasn’t very good at being affectionate toward his other child, not that Nico really cared much for the man that left his mother for another woman, while she scrambled to take care of their two year old daughter, unknowingly pregnant with their son.

Hazel turned the corner and caught a familiar sight disappearing behind the large oaken doors of the library. A glance to her watch said Nico would still be in class for another hour or so, so she didn’t necessarily have anywhere to be at the moment, at least for a little while. Curiosity got the best of her, and she slipped inside, scanning the large room for the blond. When he wasn't within sight, she snuck down the dim shelves, peering around each and every corner quietly, looking for her prey.

Someone tapped her on her shoulder and she gasped, spinning around and taking up a defensive pose. Deep green eyes regarded her oddly, black eyebrow cocked questioningly. The girl titled her head slightly to the side, then narrowed those eyes suspiciously. “Why are you sneaking around the library like some crazy person?”

Hazel smiled sheepishly at the girl she knew from her poetry class, scratching her cheek idly in thought. “Would you believe me if I said I wasn’t sneaking?”

Lou Ellen grinned back, crossing her arms over her chest. “I know what sneaking looks like, I do it all the time. I wouldn’t ask, but I’m sort of here doing a little bit of sneaking myself, and you got in my way.”

Hazel laughed, covering her mouth with both hands to stifle the sound. Not that it was likely she’d attract Will’s attention just by laughing, but it was better safe than having to think up a good reason for going someplace she never went. “Sorry, I was just curious about someone, and I saw him come in here, so I wanted to see what he was up to,” she admitted truthfully.

Lou Ellen smirked at that, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. “Stalking some hottie? I can get behind that. Point him out.”

Blinking a few times in confusion, Hazel realized her blunder, then had to bite her lip hard to keep from giggling. “No, no, I have a boyfriend. I was looking for my brother’s sake.”

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, before she rubbed her hands together happily. “Alright, this sounds even juicier. So who is this guy you’re following, and why are you spying on him? Making sure he's a good guy? Cause let me tell you, anyone that you find in the library is probably pretty safe.”

Hazel shook her head. “It’s not quite like that. I don’t know, I guess I just wanted to see how he’s doing? It’s kind of a long story.” When she said it out loud, it did sound kind of strange. It wasn’t really any of her business how Will was doing, and watching him study probably wasn’t going to give her much insight to his inner plight. Still, she wanted to see.

Lou Ellen shrugged. “Lead the way, then.”

The two girls slunk down the rows of books, the other waiting for Hazel’s move before following quietly behind. It wasn’t long before she caught sight of Will sitting at a round table, books propped open all around him, glancing at the pages and jotting things down into a notebook. Every so often he’d look around him, as if searching for something, then return to his work, pushing his eyeglasses up his nose whenever they threatened to fall off.

The other girl nudged her gently, peering over the top of Hazel’s head. “It’s funny that you stopped here, this is the perfect place to watch my friend from. So which one is he,” she asked, scanning the tables filled with various male students that were within eyesight.

Hazel pointed toward Will. “He’s the blond one with glasses right there.”

Lou Ellen yanked her back from the shelf, clutching the arm in her hand so tightly her knuckles looked white. Green eyes stared in disbelief, comically round like a pair of saucers. “Shut up, that is not who your brother is interested in. Will is completely reclusive and a total book nerd. Your brother would have to be insane to like him.”

Hazel chewed her lower lip. “Is it really that bad?”

Lou nodded empathetically. “Besides, there’s already someone he’s kind of seeing. At least, we think he is. He keeps acting really weird and randomly coming home really late, and he didn’t even come home last night at all. If he didn’t mention being with someone, I’d think he found a way to sneak in here, but he did say he stayed with a so called friend.”

Frowning, Hazel folded her arms over her chest. “So he talks about Nico enough you think they’re dating?”

Lou’s eyes went wide again before a huge grin spread across her face. “Oh my god, it’s your brother? Are they seeing each other? Please don’t hold back any details, Will is super private and won’t tell us anything.”

Heaving a sigh, she turned back to watch Will. “Not really, no. I can tell they both want to, but Will keeps freaking out and running off, and Nico is a mess practically all of the time. I guess I wanted to see how Will is after this morning.”

“What happened this morning,” Lou asked, joining her in their little spying mission once more.

Hazel hummed. “Well, I guess he passed out here and Nico took him home since he didn’t find a cellphone,” she began.

“Typical Will,” Lou muttered.

“After he woke up, he tried to sneak off, but I caught him in the process and made him at least thank Nico in person for watching over him. I left, but when I got back, Nico said Will started yelling at him and in a moment of panic, he kissed Will and then Will ran off again.” Lou Ellen’s gasp made her glance up at the other’s face.

Bright green eyes were wider than before, mouth hanging slightly open in shock. “No wonder he was so odd this morning. Will has never kissed anyone before, well, unless you count Stephanie in the seventh grade, but that was a spin the bottle moment, and he had nightmares for weeks.”

Hazel’s own mouth formed a little O shape, and she scratched her cheek in thought once more. “Do you think he’ll come around ever? I swear I picked up on some kind of attraction, or I wouldn’t have tried to keep him there. It can’t all be one sided, can it?”

Lou Ellen pursed her lips then shrugged. “Honestly, I couldn’t say. Will is strange, and he doesn’t ever show interest in anything but studying and reading. That’s why I decided to come snoop a little myself, I wanted to see if he’s meeting anyone here, since he won’t tell Cecil or I anything. Cecil is his roommate, by the way, and we’ve all been friends since the sixth grade. Tell you what, though. I’ll keep working things from my end, and I’ll let you know what I find out, if I can get anything from him. Give me your number. In the meantime, maybe you should tell your brother to give it a little space.”

Hazel laughed humorlessly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Believe me, I don’t think that’ll be much of a problem. He’s utterly convinced it’s hopeless, that he’s ruined any chance he could have, and probably wants to crawl under a rock and disappear.” Sparing one last look at the blond, she sighed.

The dark haired girl smiled sympathetically. “Yeah, Will is a tough one to crack, but I think this would be good for him. He’s just being a stubborn ass, if anything. I’ll show him the light, you’ll see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a little Lou Ellen!  
> Next chapter is probably just Will, because putting another Nico one next would involve a lot of filler to end it where it needs to.  
> If I have some great epiphany, I might, but don't expect it. Or anything, I suppose.  
> P.s. Still feeling crappy (if you read my other fic you'd know that.) Don't worry, it's just a little bit of vertigo and fatigue, but it doesn't make for good writing motivation.
> 
>  
> 
> Comments, how they make me smile and want to write more. :)


	10. The last one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will finishes the week of finals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a hard time writing this one, because I knew it was the final chapter. I simultaneously didn't want to end it, while wanting it to just be finished already.

It didn’t matter how much time passed since Nico kissed him, the skin of his lips still lingered with the taste of cinnamon, and something sweet like apples. Perhaps it was all in his imagination, after all, he’d run straight home and brushed his teeth three times just to get rid of the flavor.

Surely the shock of it all was just playing tricks on his mind, and come the following morning, it will have passed. That’s what he told himself, avoiding the fact that his brain kept replaying the scene over and over, or the fact that each time he thought about Nico, his chest hurt a little more, the longing slowly becoming overbearing.

He’d made it through the first day of finals with a heavy heart, slowly winding his way back to the place he felt the most comfortable. Nestled in the quiet of turning pages and scribbling ink, he found a kind of peace he’d never truly discovered any other place; it was the reason he ventured there so often, especially in times of uncertainty and stress, much like the one he was experiencing now.

There was something about being submerged in a room full of books and knowledge, the unmistakable scent of library that floated around his head, that caused his anxiousness to melt away the second the large doors closed behind him. It was almost like coming home after a troublesome day, and knowing that it signaled the end of your worries, even if only for the moment.

The minute he sat in his chair, at his table, the same one he’d occupied since the very first day he came to the school, a strange sense of emptiness bubbled up from the depths of some dark recess in his mind. Try as he might to ignore it, the urge to flee the area was overwhelming again, though he couldn’t ascertain as to why. It was frustrating, more than anything else had been thus far in his life. Fighting it down, he pulled his books out and began to browse through them, eyes wandering off the page in search of something unknown every few minutes.

“Waiting for someone,” a voice asked, drawing his attention away from his History text.

The irony wasn’t lost on him, and he let out a strangled sounding chuckle, before glancing up into the green eyes of Lou Ellen. “Actually, no. What gives you that idea? Was it the books opened all around me? How inviting.”

She smirked, pulling out a chair and plopping into it. “Don’t get sassy with me, Will. If you must know, it was the fact you keep looking around like you’re hoping Prince Charming is going to walk up any second and whisk you away.”

Will grimaced, hating the way the girl was never all that far from the truth. He had been hoping, just a little, that Nico was going to come looking for him, even though it was absurd to think so after his behavior that morning. It was probably on him to apologize and make up, but somewhere in his mind he told himself that Nico would just keep trying if he was honestly sincere.

“I didn’t notice,” he lied, closing the text a little roughly. Rubbing small circles into his eyelids, he sighed. “It’s actually just been a long day, I’m having trouble focusing, is all. Every little sound throws me off.”

Lou nodded sympathetically. “Yeah, first kisses are tough, man.”

Will’s eyes widened slightly, mouth falling open in shock. He composed himself abruptly, feeling his cheeks burn in embarrassment. “I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about, and I’d appreciate it if you stopped getting silly thoughts and running with them.”

She hummed skeptically, placing her fist beneath her chin. “You stayed out all night, came home in shock, brushed your teeth like seven times, and now you’re distracted, looking like you’re waiting for someone to come find you. Care to tell me what really happened, or should I just keep assuming worse and worse things happened to make you so frazzled?”

Will balked, swallowing thickly. “Uh,” he said, glancing around the room to look for a distraction.

“Running away will only make me think the worst, Will. Dare I say, someone isn’t a virgin anymore?”

Air hissed through his teeth, and he reached over and cupped a hand over her mouth to silence her. “We’re in a library, could you please not talk of such things?” His face felt awfully warm. “Alright, you win, I’ll talk. Just keep your mouth shut to Cecil, please. You don’t have to live with him, I do.”

Lou nodded and batted her eyelashes innocently, so he released his grip. “I want all of the details, every last one, leave nothing to the imagination. You know it’s overactive, I’ll think of terrible things.”

He grimaced. “That’s because you’re a terrible human being.”

She smacked him on the arm. “Rude. I am a lovely creature, I’ll have you know.”

Rolling his eyes, he sighed. “I over studied, it made me a little bit sick, I passed out here. N-My friend, who shall remain unnamed, found me, couldn’t get me to respond, took me to his place. Uh, woke up awkward, ate some breakfast, and when I tried to leave he kissed me. That’s all there is to tell.”

“Will Solace, you are the worst storyteller in the history of storytelling. That was the most anticlimactic thing I have heard in all of my life. It’s like you have no soul, no poetry to speak of. You’re just… robotic!”

Will deadpanned. “Your point is?”

Lou scoffed loudly, shaking her head. “You need to have passion, exaggeration, dynamics. You need to keep your listener on the edge of their seat, twisting around the plot until it reaches a crescendo, then you pull the rug out from under their feet and leave them stunned into utter silence. That is how you tell a story, my friend.”

Quirking a brow, he blinked a few times. “When have I ever exaggerated anything in my entire life?”

She snorted. “I don’t know, kissing Stephanie Jesper couldn’t have been that awful.”

Will shuddered at the thought. “She licked my lips like a dog. Who goes in for a kiss with their tongue already hanging out of their mouth? It was traumatizing, I couldn’t stop having nightmares about drowning in saliva.”

Lou chuckled, pinching his cheek like he was something adorable. “See, that’s better. At least that story had a little emotion behind it. You sound like your first boy kiss was completely ordinary; like hey, just filed my taxes today, mowed the lawn, cute boy kissed me, took a few exams, nothing special.”

“Who said it was anything special,” he challenged.

She smirked, tilting her head in an innocent manner. “If it wasn’t, why are you avoiding the boy?”

Will spluttered. “I’m not, I haven't avoided him once. Not today or any day.”

“Have you made an effort to go talk to him?”

“Why do I need to be the one to make an effort,” he sniffed.

Lou rolled her eyes. “Because, genius, when someone tells you how they feel, and you brush it off, they assume you don’t reciprocate. Contrary to what Cecil has taught you about relationships, not everyone is keen on chasing after a person who constantly turns down their advances.”

Will frowned. “But you like Cecil, you’re just playing hard to get.”

She laughed, the sound bubbly and sweet. “Okay, the two of us are horrible role models, I admit that. Other people, normal ones, their feelings get hurt when you push them away. Even the toughest exterior still houses a soft, sensitive inside. So, what do you say, will you at least tell the guy how you feel?”

“I don’t know how I feel,” he admitted quietly, looking down into his lap. It was partially true, because he’d never felt anything similar before in his life. There was a name for it, something akin to desire, but rippled with fear and doubt. It bubbled inside of him, terrifying and messy, threatening to drown him in an instant. If that was loving someone, he didn’t want any part of it.

Pulling out her cell phone, fingers typed a message at an alarmingly quick rate. When she was finished, she slipped the phone back into her pocket, rising to her feet and patting him gently on the head. “Something tells me you’ll figure it out,” she said softly, the hint of a smile in her voice. Turning around, she left him alone to his thoughts.

* * *

 

Each day passed at a terribly slow pace. Finals weeks were always difficult, but churning emotions and poor sleep made it seem all the longer, and he found himself stumbling home each night after class, falling into his mattress in utter exhaustion. That was when the nightmares would kick in, tossing and turning, waking up with a start, completely drenched in sweat. It should be impossible to perspire that much without physical exertion, but every time he woke up, it was like he’d run a full marathon, shortness of breath and thundering heart included.

An abundance of coffee was the only way to make it through the day, which honestly wasn’t all that different from how things normally were. It might have had an effect on how he slept at night, but without it, he wouldn't make it through a full class without falling asleep on his exam. After the week was over, when he was able to sit and rest and relax, a good night’s sleep was sure to follow. Surely the only reason for such awful nightmares was the stress of passing all of his classes.

Thursday came like a slap to the face. The only exam he needed to worry about that day was History, which was one of his favorite subjects, but also his most anxious and horrible class. The one time he found himself sitting in his seat before the majority of the other students was that afternoon, and it was only because he knew the pressure of walking through the doors when Nico was already inside would have made him pass out on the spot. Failing an exam just wasn’t an option, so he sat in the chair, fingers digging into his palms so hard they left little moon shapes, holding his breath, waiting.

It didn’t take long for the rest of them to trickle in slowly, one by one taking a seat and waiting for the exam to begin. Nico walked past him without a second glance, marching down the front row and up the steps to his desk, looking perfectly at ease, and utterly obnoxious. Anger ripped through him, and he glared death daggers at the Italian until he heard the professor walk into the room and set his briefcase down, flipping the latches with a soft click.

“Finally, the day is here. I have done all that I can for you, and now it is your turn to show me just how good of a professor I can be. You will have the entire period to complete the exam, though if you truly need it, I will permit anyone to stay an extra twenty minutes. That’s the best I can do for you, I do have another class to teach at six, and I still need to begin grading everything before tomorrow night. If you wish to know your score before I post them up on the board this weekend, feel free to stop by my office before seven o clock tomorrow evening. After that, you’ll just have to wait and see.”

Mr. C pulled a stack of papers from the open briefcase, walking over to Will and handing them off. “When everyone has received one, you may begin. Any extras, feel free to bring them down when you’re done, Mr. di Angelo. Leave when you are finished.”

Will's blood went hot then cold at the sound of the professor uttering Nico’s last name. He spared a glance the other’s way, but Nico was busy twirling a pencil between long fingers, elbow propped on the desk, face resting against his palm. His dark eyes stayed fixed toward the front of the room, half lidded, thick lashes splayed out delicately. Will swallowed thickly, returning his attention back to the paper in front of him.

“Good luck, everyone,” he said with a smile, and the exam began.

Will circled answer after answer, filled in the blanks when necessary, matched events to dates, and even wrote a few short essays on various topics the professor had already lectured about in their class. In all, the exam was easier than he’d expected it to be, not that he thought it would prove overly difficult. He supposed, to some, it might be a little hard, especially if you didn’t take notes well or couldn’t work based on verbal lectures. A lot of the content in their book was fleeting facts and random dates, with the bulk of the study coming from the man himself. Space out too long, and you might not know the how or why a particular event started, thus, you’d fail the class.

Will breezed through the second half, stopping midway to give a good shake of his hand due to writer’s cramp. Glancing at the clock, he saw they still had more than half the period left, so he didn’t worry too much about a five minute writing break. With the pain ebbing, he got back to work, pencil shooting across the page and back again even faster than before.

Murmured voices sometime later made him look up from his final question, right into the shaggy mane of Nico. It seemed that the boy was finished already, and saying his goodbyes to the professor before leaving the class for good. Panic clutched his insides, and for a moment, Will’s vision began to go a little black. Nico smiled at the older man, giving his hand a firm shake, before hefting his bag over his shoulder and leisurely strolling out of the room.

Will watched on, dumbfounded, as once again the boy seemed to look anywhere but at his face. Even with pointedly watching Nico pass him by, the other still never once strayed in his ability to remain perfectly calm and collected. Something inside of him snapped, and he hurriedly scribbled down the last three sentences, not really caring if they made little grammatical sense. Scooping up his bag from the floor, he practically teleported to the desk, handing over the exam forcefully.

“Ah, thank you, Mr. Solace. I look forward to reading your witty retorts.” The professor smiled at him warmly, and he felt a pang for wishing he’d shut up and take the damn papers already.

Will smiled back, hopeful that it didn’t look pained. “It was a wonderful class, Mr Chirovsky. One of the best I’ve taken, so thank you for that.”

The older man nodded, taking the exam. “You’re welcome. Have a good break.”

He didn’t even remember leaving the classroom, but the second he got to the door he shot off down the hall the same direction he saw Nico wander. It was toward the library, not toward his dorm, so perhaps he still had another class to take. The clock on the wall said there was still twenty minutes until their normal end of period, so even if that were the case, Nico couldn’t disappear behind a door before he had a good chance to look. The only problem was, there was more than one floor he might be on, and many different exits he could have taken.

Turning the corner, he yelped as arms shot out to stop him from colliding with something. Nico’s face looked as surprised as he felt at the moment, until the guy released his grip and stepped back awkwardly. Another jolt of anger coursed through him, and he narrowed his eyes until the dark features began to blur a little, a strange growl emanating from his throat.

“Sorry about that, wasn’t watching where I was going,” Nico said sheepishly, tugging his lip ring into his mouth to chew on it.

Will huffed loudly and stamped his foot. “What the Hell is your problem, di Angelo,” he wailed, feeling his hands ball up and shake.

Nico blinked a few times in confusion, opening and closing his mouth, then tilting his head. “I’m… sorry? I’ll be more careful next time I turn a corner?”

Crossing arms over his chest, he snarled. “Do you make it a point to fuck with people’s heads when you’re bored or something?”

“Wh-what,” Nico gasped, looking alarmed.

Will rolled his eyes. “You spend a day flirting, then weeks ignoring. You act all sweet, and then you turn around and pretend I’m invisible. You freaking kiss me, what, just to see what I’ll do about it? And then, then you won’t even look at me. Well ha, ha, mission accomplished, I’m completely out of my mind, and you look perfectly fine. Screw you, dude.”

Nico frowned, clenching his jaw. His dark eyes turned to obsidian, the temperature in the room seeming to drop. “Me? I’m the one that runs hot and cold? What about you, Solace. You’re the one that ran off, three times if I’m not mistaken, making it utterly apparent that you want absolutely nothing to do with me. Where do you get off accusing me of fucking with your head, when you are the one unable to clearly express your emotions. I told you how I felt, you’re the one who shot it down.”

Will dropped his arms back to his sides, feeling his face grow hot. “You won’t even look at me ever, you don’t get to tell someone one thing, then act the exact opposite after. Mixed messages much?”

Nico scoffed. “I mix messages? That's all on you. Why would I waste my time pining over someone who won’t even give me a shot? If you want to come talk, you put yourself out there for once, see how it feels to have someone laugh in your face.”

His body shook with emotions, white hot and bubbly, making his head feel feint and knees feel wobbly. “I’m not freaking like you, Nico, I’m not stupid confident or ungodly attractive. I’m me, stupid, shy, bookish me. I don’t face rejection, I don’t put myself out there, because I won’t get the response I want. I do get laughed at, and teased, and made to feel inadequate. It’s called life for someone like me, so excuse me for not feeling a little more sympathetic to your plight.” Tugging his glasses off, he rubbed hard at his eyes, before angrily stuffing them back onto his face.

Nico snorted, an obnoxious smirk crossing his face. “You really don’t even know how to yell at someone the right way, calling them ungodly attractive isn’t exactly an insult. You’re hopeless.”

Grabbing onto the front on Nico's leather jacket, he pushed the infuriating jerk hard against the wall, causing him to grunt in pain. “You make me so unbelievably angry, and then you taunt me more. Do you have a freaking death wish, di Angelo?”

Quirking a brow, Nico hummed in amusement. “You know, you’re pretty hot when you’re trying to be threatening,” he purred, tilting his chin up defiantly.

Will clenched his jaw, releasing a long stream of air out through his nose. “I hate you,” he mumbled.

“Is that really the word you’re going to pick,” Nico asked, coyly.

Nodding his head, he slid his hands up the rough surface of leather, until one threaded itself into silky black hair, and the other wrapped around Nico’s back, cupping the shoulder blade. Dipping his head down, their foreheads met, noses touching ever so slightly. Will closed his eyes, breathing in that spicy scent, mixed with earth and apples and something else.

“You’re going to kill me with all of these emotions,” he admitted quietly, enjoying the feeling that vibrated through him when Nico began to laugh.

“The feeling is mutual,” Nico hummed, breath sweet and warm on his face.

He wasn't sure how it happened, perhaps an involuntary reflex in his hand after spending such a long time writing at an alarming pace, but he drew Nico even closer, until every last part of their bodies that could come together, did. Lips brushed softly, warm and pleasant, and unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. It was startling, knowing that something like a kiss could be so electrifying, and still remain so delicate and gentle.

Hands roamed Will’s chest, before cupping both sides of his face, stroking the skin lightly with the tips of fingers. Pulling back, Nico sighed quietly. “As much as I'd love to stand here all day, we are still in the hallway at school. Unless you want an audience, we should probably go somewhere private.”

Will smirked. “What if I don’t want to continue,” he murmured thickly, gaze skipping back and forth over Nico’s glassy eyes, before deciding to wander back down to stare at the curve of his lips.

“Do you?”

“Well yeah, I do, but what if I didn’t?”

Nico grinned. “I’m pretty persuasive when I want to be. I might just have had to convince you of how wrong you are.”

Laughing, Will placed another light kiss on Nico’s mouth. “Your place or mine?”

“Depends on whose roommate will be gone the longest.”

“Touché.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you didn't catch the similiarty to the first chapter's ending conversation, I forgive you, but it definitely was supposed to mirror that.
> 
> Don't worry, there is one chapter left, but it's the Epilogue, so it takes place in the future. Hope you didn't hate the roller coaster too much. :)
> 
> Comments are never not wanted. If you want to throw in a request before I solidify the Epilogue, be my guest, I did continue this fic solely because it was requested of me. :3


	11. The Four Part Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place in four month jumps in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What? I didn't forget about finishing this one, guys. :)  
> It's only been almost two whole months now. ;)

Lou Ellen sat on her stool in the little café, quietly chatting with her friend Cecil.  The two were there to finally meet, in person, the man that had managed to sweep their poor, stupid, socially awkward friend off his feet. 

It was still a new relationship, having only developed within the last three weeks into something titled, but Lou could tell just from the happy smile she saw blooming out over Will’s face anytime he got a text that it was going to last as long as Nico wanted it to.  She assured herself quietly that Nico would die if he ever broke Will’s heart, so it would probably last indefinitely.

Cecil was chatting incessantly about something or another, having lost her attention halfway through his ramblings while she gazed through the large glass windows, wondering what was taking the couple so long.  Not that she wasn’t totally interested in Cecil’s stories, she was, but her neurons were set to hyper alert, and that meant a wandering mind and nervous strumming fingers.

“Lou, you’re not paying attention.  I know, I can tell.  You always do that finger thing when you’re lost in thoughts.”

Turning her gaze back to blazing blue eyes, she offered an apologetic smile.  “Sorry, Cecil.  I’m just wondering why they’re late.  It’s already fifteen minutes past the meetup time, and we got here ten minutes early, because you know how punctual Will is.”

“Unless he’s at the library,” Cecil corrected her, giving one of his impish little grins.  “You know he’ll be late to anything if he’s too busy studying or reading.”

“Yes, but it’s still break.  He can’t possibly have any studying to do when he hasn’t even started his classes yet.  Can he?”

They shared a look, both realizing this was Will they were talking about, and he was capable of anything.  Honestly, he could probably figure out the first week’s assignments and brush up on all of the topics before the professor even handed out the syllabus!  Pulling her phone from her purse, she set out to threaten the blond through text should he keep them waiting any longer.

Before she could even click his name the bell over the door jingled, and Cecil’s face suddenly grew very excited.  “Hey!  We thought you two might have been buried under an avalanche of books or whatever.  Lou was about to send out the search parties to recover you.”

Pivoting her midsection, she watched as her friend and a very unfamiliar person sauntered up, the aforementioned friend pulling off his hat, gloves, and scarf before shimmying out of his coat.  Green eyes grew wide in surprise as the new person did the exact same, pulling up their own stools to join them there at the table. 

_Oh my god, he’s so freaking hot.  How did Will find such a hot guy to fall for him?_

“Ah, sorry.  Traffic was a mess, and we left later than we had meant to.”  Will’s face flushed for a moment, the other’s smile looking more amused than sorry.

Nico wasn’t just hot, he was breathtaking.  Shaggy dark hair, olive skin, smoldering black eyes.  It was no wonder Will couldn’t resist him, hell, Lou Ellen wouldn’t resist if he tried to sweep her off her feet.  Even with a face full of metal, he still looked like a Roman God of some kind, or at least a demigod.

Glancing back at Cecil, she quirked a brow in question.  He didn’t seem to notice, the three males already falling into conversation while Lou tried to wrap her brain around the fact Will nabbed a gorgeous guy; meanwhile, all she had was the goofy one.

Not that Cecil wasn’t adorable.  He had that Peter Pan kind of impish fairy charm to him; with large blue eyes, pointed brows, a crooked smile, splattering of freckles along his button nose and across cheeks, and a shaggy mop of slightly curly red-brown-auburn hair.  He was definitely cute, just not drool at you and stumble over my words kind of cute.

“And this is Lou Ellen, who I hear knows your sister Hazel?”

Blinking her way back from her straying thoughts, she turned to find three sets of eyes awaiting her response.  What had Will just said?  Oh, right.  “Yeah, we have… er, had a class last semester.  Became friends in the most interesting of ways.”  She smiled at that, batting long lashes at Will whilst he rolled his eyes.  They’d been found out not long after their little scheme was set in motion, not that either girl minded when the endgame was still both of the dorks finally getting together.

 “Yeah, Hazel mentioned you.  It’s nice to finally meet you, Lou.”  Nico smiled at her brightly, looking more at ease amidst the group with two strangers in it than Will managed to look surrounded by his best friends and boyfriend.  Will was always shy, though, so it was to be expected.

“Likewise,” she beamed back, sensing immediately that Nico was going to be great for pulling Will out of his shell. 

Already he’d barely spent any time at home over the break, choosing to even spend the night with Nico on a few occasions.  He swore Nico took the couch, but she wasn’t so convinced.  Taking one look at the guy, it seemed almost impossible that Will hadn’t immediately jumped into bed with him, not that she didn’t trust his word. 

Okay, she didn’t trust his word.  He’d also said he wasn’t interested in Nico, to begin with, and it was obvious how that turned out.  Hazel would know for certain.  Picking up her phone, she shot a quick message of ‘gimmie all the details, are these two really containing themselves, or is it total love shack up in that place?’

The response came back almost immediately, and she was disappointed to hear Nico really was as respectful as Will led on.  Perhaps she’d have a little chat with Will about why being a nineteen-year-old virgin was just so very wrong when you had such a babe of a man at your disposal.  Screw waiting for the right moment, the moment was right!

Will shot her a ‘don’t even fucking think about it’ look, and she pushed her wayward thoughts away, smiling sheepishly at the fact he knew her well enough to read her mind.

The conversation was smooth, the laughter flowing, and by the time the couple said they needed to get going, Lou was actually a little sad to see them go.  They made promises to meet up more often, especially once the hectic mess of classes started back up, and left out the door with another jingle of the bell.

Cecil wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his side.  “So, honest opinion time,” he asked, the low purr in his voice making her shiver slightly.

“I like him,” she replied, snuggling into the boy a little.  “How about you?”

He planted a wet kiss on her cheek, one she didn’t even bother to wipe away.  “Not as much as I like you,” he murmured, waggling his eyebrows at her suggestively.

Rolling her eyes, she elbowed him in the side, stepping out of range.  “Okay, enough of the touchy feelies.  I’m hungry, buy me some cheesy fries.”

“With pleasure, my lady,” he hummed, giving her a cheeky grin and a wink.

The two stayed at the café a little longer, enjoying the other’s company like they usually did.

* * *

 

Hazel heard the music blasting from the stereo before she even slid her key into the lock.  It was midday on a Tuesday in April, which meant Nico really should have been with Will, but from the sound of things, he was sulking instead.  Taking a deep breath in through her nose, she let it out in a sigh, opening the door and stepping inside.

Thankfully, Nico had migrated into his room to pout, though that meant the music was loud enough to shake the walls, which probably meant they’d be getting a noise complaint really soon.  Setting down her bag on top of the counter, she kicked off her shoes and marched up to his door, turning the knob only to find the door was locked.  With three, sharp knocks, she stepped back and waited for the boy to show himself.

The music paused, Nico cursed under his breath as something crashed to the ground, then the door swung open to reveal him dusted with sweat.  Cocking a black brow at her, he leaned against the doorway in nothing but an old, sleeveless black Subhumans tee with a singing skull on it, and a pair of dark blue boxer briefs.  His hair was messy, plastered to his forehead with sweat.

“You know, if you answered your door looking like that at any other time, I’d say you just got laid.  But since you’re listening to your screamy noise loud enough to go deaf, I’m going to go out on a limb and say you and Will are having a dispute?”

Nico pursed his lips, crossing arms over his chest.  “What’s it to you,” he asked, sounding more like a petulant teenager than he had in years.

Rolling her eyes, she placed her hands on her hips, oozing motherly annoyance.  “For one, if you don’t turn down that awful crap you call music, we’re going to get another complaint.  And guess who will be paying for that one?  Not me.  Two, I love you, and I know you, which means I know what you really want is to be wherever he is right now, but you’re being stubborn.”

“Why am I always called the stubborn one,” he mumbled under his breath, avoiding eye contact.

“Maybe because… you are?  I mean, not exclusively, I have met Will before, I know he can be a brick wall when he wants to be.  I also know he’s less emotional than you are, so being stubborn back only means you’ll mope for days before you cave and go to him first.  And you always cave and go first, so just do it now and save yourself the torment.”

Nico huffed.  “That’s exactly what I mean!  If I never ran back to him, he’d probably just avoid me for eternity.  How is that fair that I’m the only one trying here?”

“Need I remind you that you share a Monday class together and that Will is too weak to look at you and not forgive you for whatever it is you’re both mad at each other over?”  Nico’s lip pouted out and she sighed.  “Fine, go to your room.  Pout and feel like crap.  Blast your music and pay the fines.  I don’t care.  Just don’t keep me up when I have things I need to be up early for, and I won’t care how long you mope about this time around.”

Turning on her heels, she sauntered off toward the kitchen.  Nico’s door closed quietly, but the music didn’t come on again, or else he’d moved to using his iPod, instead.  Shooting a quick text to Lou, she inquired about the state Will was in, only to discover it was much the same.

God, they were annoying when they argued.  You’d think after all those weeks of mutual pining they’d have come to the realization that both of them would stay away just because they assumed the other didn’t care.  It happened only a few times since, but it was always the same mutual pining and blubbery sadness until one of them, usually Nico, gave in.

Not that that seemed fair, as Nico had stated, but Will allowed insecurities to keep him away, and fear usually drove those insecurities until he wouldn’t get out of bed, much less find Nico to apologize.  So, it was always their best bet to have him go before Will decided hibernation was preferable to regular human existence.

A knock sounded at the door twenty minutes later, Hazel eyeing the thing warily, assuming it was probably their downstairs neighbor coming to chew her out again.  Unfortunately, she couldn’t force Nico to bear the brunt of it like she wanted to, and ignoring everything only made the lady angrier whenever she finally did catch sight of Hazel, so the girl gave in with a sigh.

Confusion flooded her brain when she saw Will’s sad, red rimmed blue eyes staring at his shoes, clutching a little white daisy between his fingers.  So that’s what Lou meant by she would take care of things immediately, and not to worry her pretty little toosh.

“Hey Hazel, may I come in,” he asked, blotchy cheeks turning even deeper crimson when all she did is gawk in response.

“Of course, Will.  He’s in his room.  I don’t know if he locked it again, and he might be listening to headphones,” she warned him as he passed by with a stiff nod. 

Will hesitated at the bedroom door for a little while, Hazel watching him curiously, wondering if he planned to stand there until Nico came out.  After a few minutes of doing nothing, he raised his hand and gave the quietest of knocks.  Even from fifteen feet away, Hazel had to strain hard to know he was actually doing something.

The door opened in much the same way as before, Nico looking a little cross at being disturbed again.  When his eyes landed on Will, his face crumpled into a soft and genuine expression, taking the offered flower out of Will’s hand before swooping him up into a hug.

“I’m sorry,” she heard Will’s muffled reply mumbled into the skin of Nico’s neck.

“I’m sorry, too, love,” Nico murmured back, before shuffling them both inside and closing the door with his foot.

Whatever they did, they didn’t come out for the rest of the evening, and she didn’t disturb them to find out.

* * *

 

It was a hot August afternoon, and despite the grueling heat outside, Nico and Will were cuddling under a thin blanket as the AC blasted icy cold across the bare skin of their chests.  Being half inside, half outside a cocoon of warmth was somehow even more pleasant when your boyfriend snuggled into the crook of your arm, dressed in nothing but his boxer briefs.  Perhaps a little too good, Nico thought, brain going once again to those inappropriate places Will wasn’t quite ready to delve into yet.

“Hey, babe,” he crooned, peering around a head of messy golden hair to see if Will was still conscious.  It was the middle of the day still, but the boy could fall asleep practically any time of day or night, as long as he was comfortable.  It made a lot more sense as to why Will managed to pass out watching a movie with him all those months prior, and also why he could hardly make it through one ever since.

“Hm,” Will asked, voice a gentle hum of sleepiness.  If he hadn’t been asleep already, he was about to fall asleep at any moment.

“You know I love you, right?”

“Of course.”

“Good.  Now get off me.”

Will’s head lifted from its place on Nico’s chest, blue eyes frowning up at him half sleepy, half actually miffed.  “What?  Why?”

Nico rolled his eyes as if it should have been completely apparent.  Will was really bad with judging the situation whenever it came to other people.  Somehow, he just assumed everyone felt the exact way he did.  “Because we’re half naked, and I know this isn’t a new development, but right now it’s turning me on.  So, if you fall asleep sprawled on me, it’s going to get pretty awkward, pretty fast.”

Will blinked a few times, before nodding his head.  “Okay, let’s have sex, then.”

The words ran through Nico’s mind multiple times, but no matter how many different things he tried to come up with, he still couldn’t find anything that sounded close or rhymed with ‘sex.’  Vex, lex, mex, nex; maybe he was going about this all wrong.  With a laugh, he shook his head.  “I’m sorry, for some reason I thought you just propositioned me with intercourse.”

“I did,” Will stated, as if he were talking about the weather or something equally blasé.

Nico frowned, narrowing his eyes at the other suspiciously.  “Who are you, and what have you done with my Will?”

That brought a smile to the other’s lips, and he sat up a little straighter, reaching across Nico to grab his glasses and slip them on.  “I’m serious, Nico.  It’s been, what, roughly eight months now?”

“A little over that, yup.”

“Exactly.  So, while I appreciate you waiting it out so long,” Will shot him a look before he could make another cheeky comment.  “I’m pretty sure at this point it’s bordering on the cruel and inhumane.  I’m not old-fashioned, I don’t think you’re just going to fuck me and dump me at this point, and it is only sex.  So, why not?”

Nico chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand to suppress the sound.  After he composed himself, enjoying the sour look on Will’s face just a hair more than he should, he smiled.  “I love you, my little analytical robot,” he cooed.

Will pouted, sitting up in one swift motion and crossing his arms over his chest.  Pouty Will was probably the cutest Will.  “I retract my statement.  I don’t care if it’s cruel, now you’ll wait longer.”

Biting his lip, he pushed Will back onto the mattress, climbing on top of him and nuzzling into the other’s neck.  “You’re cute, you know that?”

The blush that spread like wildfire across his lightly freckled face made everything worth it.  “Shut up, I’m mad at you still.”

“No you’re not,” he crooned, peppering kisses all over Will’s jaw, neck, cheeks, nose, and mouth.  After a moment of resistance, the boy kissed back, unfurling his arms to wrap them around Nico’s neck.

“Less mad, but still mad enough not to retract my retraction,” Will mumbled, as Nico kissed back down his jaw to the sensitive skin of his exposed throat.

After a moment Nico hummed, pulling back to stare into heavy lidded azure eyes.  “I do love you, though.  And as much as I’d love to take that step with you, I’m not going to do it if you proposition me like it’s not a big deal.  Try that in like, a year, when it isn’t your first time, okay?  Until then, just tell me with actions that you’re ready.”

“I’m ready,” Will said in a matter of fact tone.

Nico chuckled again, bending down to plant another kiss on his mouth.  “With your actions, love.”

“Oh,” he nodded, then smiled.  “So, like this, then.”  Will’s palm came up to cup him gently between the legs, which really shouldn’t have made him hard, but time being what it was, eight months of pent up frustration will do that to anyone.

Nico let out a low groan.  “Yup.  You’re definitely going to be the death of me, Solace, one way or another.”

Will hummed in amusement, sliding his glasses back off of his face with his free hand, pushing them up above his head until they fell off the edge of the bed with a soft clink.  “I probably won’t be needing those for a while,” he purred before pulling Nico back down to his lips.

* * *

 

Will was panicking.  So, what else was new?  This time, it was assuredly warranted.  Not that every other time wasn’t a little bit warranted, it’s just that this one blew all the other little anxiety moments out the freaking water.  And he couldn’t even really talk to anyone about it because they’d all just make it worse with speculation and other absurd things that he was quite alright doing himself.

It was the night of their one year anniversary, and Nico had informed him there was something he wanted to discuss.  That part alone was enough to give him an anxiety attack, but the fact they were going to a button up shirt, no jeans allowed kind of restaurant only managed to throw that feeling into overdrive, officially sending him on a downward spiral of hyperventilation and breathing into brown paper bags.

Somehow, this was worse than the accumulative stress of the previous year’s fiasco, condensed down into one singular moment in time.  And that was saying something because he had driven himself out of his mind back then with uncertainty and fear.  If there was one thing Will didn’t do well, it was emotions.  This emotion was probably the worst of all.

Nico picked him up in his car to take him to dinner; the same one he didn’t even know existed until two months into their relationship, because why would someone who walks a mile to classes have a car and not be using it?  Oh right, the environment.  That would have been a nice little bit of information when he was trekking back to campus in the middle of freaking December, at four o clock in the morning.  Details.

The room was dimly lit, the only sources of illumination coming from the candles that flickered on every cloth covered table or the twinkle lights that wrapped around the ceiling like glittering stars.  It was _definitely_ the perfect place to ‘pop a question,’ which only seemed to exacerbate his anxiety further. 

_Oh god, he really is going to propose to me.  What do I say?  It’s only been a freaking year!  Why would he do this to me, dammit?_

The waiter took their order immediately, leaving them alone in the secluded area with enough privacy that he wondered if his screams would be heard by the closest couple sitting a good twenty feet away.  Nico’s dark eyes danced as the flame rippled under the force of their combined breath, his smile sparkling like diamonds as he leaned in a little closer.

“So, about that thing I said I wanted to discuss with you tonight,” he murmured, voice like silk and honey and chocolate and sex.  It was too much, and Will felt himself begin to panic even worse.  What if Nico had disgusting habits he didn’t know about yet?  What if he was hiding some secret that was actual a deal breaker?

Picking up his glass, the cold water washed down his burning throat in a comforting sting of ice.  “Y-yeah, shoot.  I mean, go for it?”  His cheeks hurt from smiling so forcefully, but Nico only seemed to chuckle at his obvious distress.  He’d always figured the guy was a sadist.

“Well, as you know, we’ve been together for a year now,” he began, the hints of a smile still pulling at his lips as he spoke.

Will swallowed thickly.  “Has it really been so long?  Gosh, it feels like less than that.”

Nico’s brows came together, his look turning to one of puzzlement.  “Uh, yeah, love.  This is our anniversary dinner.  Our one year anniversary.”

“Quite right you are, how silly of me.”  He wasn’t making any sense, the panic flooding all parts of his brain until random babble was the only thing able to spill from his mouth.

Nico carried on regardless.  “Well, I’ve been thinking a lot about things, and I love you, so I guess what I’m trying to ask is,” he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a box.  Will’s face felt hotter than the surface of the sun, and if you had asked him what his name was, he probably wouldn’t be able to tell you.  Handing the box over, Nico chewed on his lip nervously.  “Well, uh… open it?”

With shaking hands, Will obliged.  Sitting on top of a little piece of fluffy cotton padding was a silver key.  A laugh erupted from his lips, pulling the key out to inspect it.  “Oh my god, I thought you were trying to propose.”

“I kind of am,” Nico admitted, smiling softly.  Will’s eyes went wide before he elaborated.  “I propose you move in with me, into our very own apartment, because I love you, and as much as I’d love to actually propose to you, I know you’ll shoot me down if I tried right now.”

“I would not,” he gasped, even as he knew it was probably the truth.

Nico gave him a pointed look, though still somehow tender in its deliverance.  “I know you would because you won’t do anything massive until you’re one hundred percent certain, and we haven’t lived together yet, or graduated college, or actually even lived life long enough to be certain.  And while I’m certain about you, and certain about this, I know I can wait for it.”  After a beat, he grinned.  “Maybe next anniversary.”

Biting his lip, Will nodded.  “Okay.  Let’s do it.”

“Yeah?  No long discussion on why it’ll be beneficial to the both of us?  No having to take months before you can admit it’s the logical step?”

Shaking his head, he smiled.  “Nope.  I agree with your timing perfectly.”

Nico sat back against the seat, eyebrows high on his forehead.  “Huh.  Shit, maybe I should have boughten that ring, if I knew it would be this easy to get you to agree with me.”

Will frowned.  “That’s not funny, Nico.”

“It’s a little funny,” he teased, smiling his cocky smile with heavily lidded eyes.  It was just like him to try and be endearing while simultaneously being a shit.

“I can still take it back.  We haven’t signed any lease agreements yet.”

“That’s what you think,” Nico murmured.

“I hate you.”

“I know.”

“I love you, though,” Will admitted after a moment of silence, looking down at the little key still grasped in his palm.  It brought a smile to his lips, one he didn't think would leave for some time.

Nico smiled back fondly.  “I know, love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I tried to give it that little personal touch per POV, and I hope I didn't fail there.  
> I know the personalities kind of shifted a bit, but no one stays the same over time, and I hope I got that across as well.  
> I always knew I wanted to place this through time, have Nico meet Lou and Cecil, as well as touch back up on a Hazel POV.  
> I think my hardest one to write was actually Lou Ellen, even though I know how her personality is supposed to be here.  
> Hazel was the easiest, by far. I breezed through that one.
> 
> Ah, if I got any facts wrong or off, it's cause I haven't read this one since the last chapter posted. And I write a bunch of shit.  
> (7 currently updating, why do I do this to myself? How? What?)
> 
> Which was your favorite part? :D  
> Comments will be a fantastic ending to this fun little fic.  
> <3<3<3
> 
> Thank you all for being so great!


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